LinkedIn Phishing Scam Targets Users in North East India
A new phishing scam is making the rounds on LinkedIn, tricking users into divulging their login credentials by impersonating the professional networking platform. This scam, which has been active since early January 2026, poses a significant threat to users in North East India and across the country.
Convincing Fake Comments
Scammers are flooding LinkedIn posts with fake "reply" comments that appear to come from the platform itself, warning users of bogus policy violations and urging them to visit an external link. These comments convincingly impersonate LinkedIn branding and even use the company's official lnkd.in URL shortener, making the phishing links harder to distinguish from legitimate ones.
Temporary Account Restrictions
Over the past few days, LinkedIn users have been targeted with bot-like activity from several LinkedIn-themed profiles commenting on their posts. These posts falsely claim that the user has "engaged in activities that are not in compliance" with the platform and that their account has been "temporarily restricted" until they visit the specified link in the comment.
Masking Destination Links
The fabricated reply bearing the LinkedIn logo appears fairly convincing depending on how viewers are interacting with the comments area and on what device. Scammers have taken this lure a step further by masking the destination links via LinkedIn's official URL shortener, lnkd.in, making phishing domains harder to spot without clicking on them.
Abuse of Company Pages
These comments are being posted from fake company pages using LinkedIn's official logo and a variation of the platform's name, e.g., Linked Very. These "Linked Very" accounts have been spotted on the professional networking platform in the past week.
LinkedIn's Response
When contacted by BleepingComputer, a LinkedIn spokesperson confirmed that they are aware of this activity and their teams are working to take action. The spokesperson also emphasized that LinkedIn does not and will not communicate policy violations to their members through public comments.
Staying Safe on LinkedIn
Users should remain vigilant and avoid interacting with comments, replies, or private messages that appear to impersonate LinkedIn and urge recipients to click external links. Be cautious of any messages that claim your account has been temporarily restricted or that you need to verify your identity to lift the restriction.
Relevance to North East India
With over 700 million users worldwide, LinkedIn is a significant platform for professionals in North East India and across the country. This phishing scam underscores the importance of being vigilant online, especially when it comes to safeguarding personal and professional information.
Looking Forward
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, so too will the tactics used by cybercriminals. It's crucial for users to stay informed and practice good online safety habits to protect themselves from such threats.