What kind of LinkedIn scam is this?

[isisdave]

Although I'm retired ten years, I still have a LinkedIn presence. A few days ago I work up to several messages from LinkedIn confirming that my name, picture, education, employment history, and presumably everything else had been changed. I looked and I was now a 29-year-old Chinese woman from Hong Kong, living in London, whose job was in some kind of marketing management role.

She hadn't posted anything, but had sent messages to half a dozen middle eastern men, looking for job opportunities there. The oddest part was she didn't change my password or email, so I quite easily changed the password and paused the account until I could figure out what as going on.

The URL for the page still had my name in it. I had three or four other weird security things happen in the last week, so I think some dark web stuff is floating around. The password is not one I used anywhere else.

The only thing I can think of is that she hoped I was dead or no longer paying attention, and that she could establish some sort of reputable presence to use in connection with some future scam. But why not just make "her" own?

Does anyone have any experience with anything like this? Of course LinkedIn is useless, getting a human is impossible.

 

[Snazzylass]

I deleted my LinkedIn profile a month or two back. I think I did receive a notice that it had been hacked. It made me question why I was bothering with it? I made it to the finish line! I was able to retire on my own terms. It's a pretty big mind-shift after years of networking and keeping my resume up to date.

I assumed there would be other ways for people I know to reach me and I was right! I got a text last week from a former co-worker who had returned to The Firm, congratulating me on my retirement. So nice to hear from her & catch up

 

[pedro47]

I also deleted by LinkedIn profile about a week ago; after receiving a notice someone was looking at my profile.

 

[AlmostRetired]

Fraud is like cancer, it isn't a matter of who, but when.

I was a victim of identity fraud about about 7 years ago because of information obtained from a data breach of Anthem, my employers health care provider. They got my work information, SS and god knows what other information. Someone obtained approval for 40K of differen credit cards over a weekend. It was only caught because I pay to monitor my credit information and they tried to change the ship to address after getting approved. You see, the breach happened 3 years prior and the monitoring service that offered was for 2 years so I started paying for the monitoring on my own. When information is stolen and sold, the information is not used for 3 or 5 years because of the limits placed on monitoring from all companies that have breach's. It was then I froze my credit report, added passwords on my bank accounts and any transfers/withdrawals from my 401k/IRA must be done in person. I also subscribe to monitoring services from two credit cards for email address, SS number, telephone numbers, drivers license and a much more information from that are on the "Dark Web".

If you look up the 12 worst data breach's Equifax, JP Morgan Chase, Yahoo and Anthem are on them and all me. BTW, Chase is my Marriott CC. The worst is once announced recently and showed up on my monitoring service last month, National Public Data. This is a public records data provider specializing in background checks and fraud prevention company. Almost 300 Million records for both living and deceased. They got everything from my SS to my shoe size.

Given all the information stolen on me, I am not aware of anyone impersonating me, either working using my SS number, walking around and using my drivers license and credit cards.

Awareness is not prevention, but It does allow for some proactive steps. I suggest everyone take them because no matter how small the steps are, they are in the right direction. Also be diligent so you can be reactive if need be.

What can be done? A start is significant penalties for data breach's that go into a fund to be used by someone who has loses from identity fraud.

​

 

[dougp26364]

Although I'm retired ten years, I still have a LinkedIn presence. A few days ago I work up to several messages from LinkedIn confirming that my name, picture, education, employment history, and presumably everything else had been changed. I looked and I was now a 29-year-old Chinese woman from Hong Kong, living in London, whose job was in some kind of marketing management role.

She hadn't posted anything, but had sent messages to half a dozen middle eastern men, looking for job opportunities there. The oddest part was she didn't change my password or email, so I quite easily changed the password and paused the account until I could figure out what as going on.

The URL for the page still had my name in it. I had three or four other weird security things happen in the last week, so I think some dark web stuff is floating around. The password is not one I used anywhere else.

The only thing I can think of is that she hoped I was dead or no longer paying attention, and that she could establish some sort of reputable presence to use in connection with some future scam. But why not just make "her" own?

Does anyone have any experience with anything like this? Of course LinkedIn is useless, getting a human is impossible.

Might be a dating scam. I deleted my LinkedIn account years ago when I started getting messages that looked more like escorts than executives.