LinkedIn, Our Business Home Platform, Gets Abused.
Stephenie Stombaugh
July, 13 2022
Will we ever escape scammers? The answer is no. As people, we adapt and overcome by facing new challenges and obstacles, and in turn, we learn how to handle whatever comes our way. Well, scammers are people too. With that said, scammers adapt as well. So how do we avoid this? By staying updated on the latest trends and news. Currently, there have been crypto scammers that have used the platform LinkedIn for their work. That’s right, our number one go-to for business relations and exposure.
For LinkedIn, these crypto scammers have been creating professional-looking profiles to fool the eye. From there, they use a fraudulent site to direct the user because trust has been established. They do this by convincing the user to move money to a different cryptocurrency platform where they can manage it. Factually manage. From there, some of us know what happens next all too well. Once the funds are moved to the fraudulent site, all the cash and the scammer vanish.
Unfortunately, this is not the only scam going on using LinkedIn. Scammers are targeting job applicants, creating fake job applications, and generating offers to harvest credentials from users. Things to be on the lookout for are subject lines like, ‘You appeared 6 searches this week, “You have 1 new message,’ or even, ‘Your profile matches this job.’ Very similar to what we may see. For someone in need of a job, well, these notifications become more intriguing and easier to fall for.
Additionally, victims not looking for a job per se can get caught up in a romance scam, ending in the exact outcome of the disappearance of funds and the scammer. This has been successful, and the result of it is unsettling. Per CNBC, scammers have been able to bleed their victims of funds ranging from $200,000 to $1.6 million! This is just from users using LinkedIn alone.
To become safer on LinkedIn and other platforms, always be cautious of any requests you may get. Especially from individuals, you may not recognize. You can always verify this person on LinkedIn. Be on the lookout for any form of money being asked for, such as cash, gift cards, visa cards, prizes, and now cryptocurrency. Never trust someone else with your personal information and banking details that you don’t recognize. Remember, scammers, build that trust with you and have all the time in the world to have a conversation, so be wary of that fake account. Lastly, you can stay safe by not clicking on unsolicited email notifications from LinkedIn or links that can lead you astray.
Your Cybersecurity Analyst,
Stephenie Stombaugh
Professional Reference by Cyware Social:
https://cyware.com/news/crypto-scammers-turn-to-linkedin-to-target-victims-568c9be2