LinkedIn users are advised to prioritize enhancing the security of their accounts, given recent incidents in which several individuals in the tech community have experienced unauthorized access by hackers over the past two months. Hackers are showing no restraint in selecting targets, as any successfully compromised account can lead to financial gains for them.
Typically, such breaches result in account takeovers, granting cybercriminals the ability to alter contact information such as phone numbers and email addresses. This enables them to exploit the compromised accounts for malicious intentions.
According to a report released by Cyberint, a considerable number of LinkedIn users in the western regions are expressing their dissatisfaction on X (formerly known as Twitter) concerning account lock-downs and the lack of access to LinkedIn’s customer support.
Historically, LinkedIn has taken 1-2 business days to address such issues, but since July of this year, the resolution time-frame has elongated to 4-5 working days, and some users have had their accounts locked for as long as a week.
Interestingly, these account lockouts have led to instances where scammers are coercing certain LinkedIn users into paying ransoms to prevent permanent account deletion.
Technically speaking, aside from LinkedIn’s engineers, only authorized personnel possess the capability to deactivate an account, unless the account is involved in illicit activities. Typically, accounts are suspended if fraudulent access is detected or if the content posted violates the platform’s posting policies. However, account deletion isn’t part of this process, nor does LinkedIn demand ransoms to prevent deletion.
A senior employee at a reputable banking institution in Newark recently posted a warning on Reddit regarding this matter. Within the last 72 hours, the post has garnered substantial attention, resulting in numerous comments, responses, and technical suggestions.
So, in the event of suspicion surrounding a LinkedIn account breach or restricted login access, consider the following steps:
1.) Initiate contact with LinkedIn’s customer support, and disregard any claims made in emails or messages requesting payment for issue resolution. The company does not engage in such campaigns, and those making such requests are fraudulent and not associated with LinkedIn.
2.) Await a response and communicate all pertinent details through the appropriate channels, such as the company’s designated webpage.
3.) Refrain from sharing login credentials with individuals on other social media platforms who promise temporary access in exchange for help.
4.) Given the extended response time due to heightened request volumes, exercise patience when interacting with the support team.
5.) Exercise caution and accept connection requests only from individuals within your industry. Be cautious of attractive profiles and avoid falling victim to their deceptive tactics.
