In recent weeks there has been an increase in fake requests on LinkedIn for users to connect with people. These are likely to be precursors to attempted scams or fraud.

Some examples I have noticed are from people claiming to be from financial companies based overseas. After connecting with the person a message quickly follows asking for more information about yourself.

If you are unsure about these connect requests there are a few things you can do. Check out the company affiliation. If you cant find the company then there is a good chance it is fictitious.

Also check the profile picture. This is easy with Google. Open the Google search page and select the images link. Now drag the profile pic into the search bar and see if there are any matches. You might be surprised at where that profile picture originated from.

Now there is no requirement that someone will use an actual picture of themselves on LinkedIn, however you may want to think about why someone uses a picture of someone else.

So what to do with these requests. There are options on LinkedIn to report people that appear to be misrepresenting themselves. Alternatively, simply don’t connect or disconnect from people you don’t trust.

Above all else, keep safe.