LinkedIn is an essential work tool, whether it’s networking, job applications, learning or just plain old using it. If you’re not careful, a hacked LinkedIn account can have a devastating impact. It’s an embarrassing situation, and you’re more likely to lose your contacts, or you’re more likely to be a financial scammer.
Unfortunately, LinkedIn hacks are rare, but cyber criminals are increasingly using the platform to steal data. In this article, we’ll show you the warning signs that indicate a LinkedIn account has been hacked, steps to recover your account, and tips to keep your account safe in the future.
Table of Contents
What should I do immediately if my LinkedIn account is hacked?
If your LinkedIn account is hacked, take the following steps:
Attempt to log in and change your password immediately.
Use LinkedIn’s password reset option if you’re locked out.
Check your email account for suspicious activity, as hackers may have altered your LinkedIn email settings.
Report the issue to LinkedIn Support and follow their recovery process.
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) after regaining access for added security
How can I secure my LinkedIn account to prevent hacking in the future?
Use a strong, unique password and update it periodically.
Activate two-factor authentication (2FA) via the LinkedIn Security Settings.
Avoid clicking on suspicious links or downloading files from unknown sources, especially in emails or messages claiming to be from LinkedIn.
Regularly review account settings and remove unfamiliar devices or sessions from your account access log
YOUR INTEGRITY MANAGEMENT ALLY
What are the warning signs that your LinkedIn account might be compromised?
Common warning signs include:
Receiving notifications of login attempts from unknown devices or locations.
Changes in your account details, such as a new email address or password you didn’t authorize.
Unauthorized messages or posts appearing in your name.
Your account being inaccessible or locked due to multiple failed login attempts.
If you notice any of these signs, act promptly to secure your account
YOUR INTEGRITY MANAGEMENT ALLY
How To Know If Your LinkedIn Has Been Compromised
LinkedIn security breached in 2012, leaving 6.5 million user passwords compromised. However, account hacks are now common, and users are now being monitored for user errors.
Hacking is now common, with phishing attacks tricking victims into clicking fake links. There are many reasons why a weak password, outdated software, or third-party apps with excessive permissions are connected to your LinkedIn account.
Signs that your LinkedIn account has been hacked include suspicious activity profiles, login problems, contacts reporting spammy messages to your account, and LinkedIn users reporting unusual activity warnings.
Sign 1: A Message From LinkedIn
If you have a LinkedIn account hacked, the obvious indication is a LinkedIn warning message.
If you have received an email asking you to change your account password or email address, you may be able to log in from an unknown device/location, or you may be able to notice unusual activity. If you have a LinkedIn account hacked, you may be able to see the following:
Sign 2: Profile Changes
If you use LinkedIn, the first sign of a hack is unexpected changes to your profile. If your name, photo, summary, skills, or job history have been modified, this is a clear indication that hackers have hacked your account.
One common issue is that your profile does not have endorsements or recommendations added, which is a sign that hackers are attempting to attract others.
Sign 3: Unauthorized Activity
If you have not posted, commented, messaged, or invited to your account, please let me know if you have used my account.
If you have not posted a message, please do not click on any spammy links in your contacts, and I will not accept your connection request.
Sign 4: A Heads-up From Contacts
If you are a regular user of LinkedIn, you should be aware that if you see an unexpected change in your account, you will be notified immediately.
Also, you can easily contact us, and we will inform you. If you receive a message that is spam, phishing, or contains inappropriate content, we will take serious action.
Sign 5: Problems Logging In
A common sign of a LinkedIn account hack is having trouble logging in.
If you can’t sign in to your account, or find that your account is temporarily locked, it’s highly likely that a criminal has taken over your login details and is gaining access.
What Should You Do If Your LinkedIn Is Hacked?
If you feel an issue, please take control of your account, and take action to resolve the problem. The first step is to report the issue to LinkedIn.
To change your password, you should first check if there is a hacker accessing your account, then check your active sessions and sign in to LinkedIn. If you have an email address or phone number in your LinkedIn account, make sure it is up-to-date and receive a password reset message from LinkedIn.
Make sure your personal email account is secure. If you have an unauthorized message posted to your account, delete it, and then delete your social media accounts. For example, you should contact your contact person.
Step 1: Change Your Password
If you still have access to your account, you should first change your password — a strong password that contains a letter, number, or symbol.
Make sure your password is not hard to guess, such as your birthdate, your name, and the password you use, so you don’t have to worry about your password being reused. Change your password immediately.
Step 2: Review Your Active Sessions
Hackers are logged in, so if you log out, you can log out.
Go to the LinkedIn homepage, click the “Me” icon at the top, select “Settings & Privacy”, then go to the “Sign in & security” section, then click the arrow next to “Where you’re signed in”. You can see a list of active sessions, and then sign out of your sessions.
Step 3: Review Email Addresses
Your LinkedIn account needs to be updated with your email address and phone number.
Please check your personal email account, and if you have a LinkedIn company profile, please link it to your account, such as Facebook, Twitter, Google, or Microsoft, and confirm that you have a secure connection. Please change your password.
Step 4: Clean Up Your Timeline And Check Other Social Media
If you see suspicious messages posted on your account, delete them. If you see suspicious messages posted on your social media account, check your post, friend request, message, or activity on your account, and make sure you are not in contact with anyone.
Step 5: Alert Your Contacts
If you have received a suspicious message from your contacts or account — it is likely a spam or phishing attempt. If you have received a suspicious message from your contacts, please ignore it.
How Can You Recover Your LinkedIn Account?
If your account is locked, you can recover it—it’s not a problem. If you’re logged in, you can’t contact LinkedIn for help.
There’s a support page, where you can enter your name, email address, and phone number to report a problem. It’s a straightforward process, but you can verify your identity, but you can’t control your account.
If you’ve lost your linked email address or phone number, the process can be complicated, but you can verify your identity with an official ID.
How Can You Protect Your LinkedIn Account From Hackers?
If you are a LinkedIn hacker, you can easily hack your account. Now, you need to make sure that your account is secure in the future.
First, you need to have a strong, unguessable password; you need to have two-factor authentication on your computer; you need to use an authorization code to make your account more secure.
If you are on LinkedIn, you can use secure browsing mode on your computer, click on your profile picture, and then click Settings and Privacy. You can hide your personal data, attachments, messages, and links from your profile, and update your privacy and visibility settings, and check your permissions.
Bottom Line
LinkedIn is a valuable business tool, but if you hack your account, you’ll have a lot of problems. If you don’t, you’ll usually have to take control of your future and take steps to fix it.
