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Exposed: LinkedIn Contact baiting scam
I sometimes receive LinkedIn networking requests from like minded professionals which I welcome and reciprocate. But this one was different. I can't imagine people going to the extent of impersonating a corporate honcho in an attempt to get connections. I received the following regular email (not linkedIn request). Read on to discover contact baiting.
Hello,
I am an advanced networker on LinkedIn, and was hoping that you could send me an invitation to my linkedin account to join your network. My name is <Insert a Fortune 10 VP's name>, and my linkedin e-mail address is xxxx@public-email.com.
I am an advanced networker on LinkedIn, and was hoping that you could send me an invitation to my linkedin account to join your network. My name is <Insert a Fortune 10 VP's name>, and my linkedin e-mail address is xxxx@public-email.com.
I have a few thousand connections on LinkedIn - and I endeavour to add more qualified individuals to my network in order to expand everyone's access to other professionals and individuals who benefit from the social networking offered through sites like Linked In. Please see my personal networking contract below.
My profile on LinkedIn is located here: Insert a genuine link to the Fortune 10 VP's profile.
NAME’S PERSONAL NETWORKING CONTRACT
What does it mean to be a connection? I established my Personal Networking Contract to share my thoughts and expectations. It's my pledge of support for my network.
I would be honored to be a part of your personal network. That carries a responsibility that I take seriously. I pledge to help, support, and inform you so that we both may grow and succeed in our personal and business endeavors. The following outlines some specific aspects of my commitment.
I trust you feel similarly in return as a part of my network.
CURRENT. I will provide current information on my email address(es), other forms of contact as appropriate, and my availability either directly or through our mutual online network. I will make sure that my primary email address is current.
TIMELY. I will endeavor to process your online network requests on a timely basis. Sometimes this will be same day. Generally this will be 3 days or less. However in case of vacation, travel, or personal or business emergency, the delay may be up to 1-2 weeks.
CONTACTS. I will use the online network where we are connected for requests or contacts over that network. I will not ask you for email addresses of individuals unless you and I have a close relationship and there is an emergency.
UPDATES. Staying in touch with your contacts (or "pinging") is a fundamental part of networking. I will send you updates generally no more than once every six months. These updates may be of a personal, professional, or business nature. I invite you to similarly update me. If I contact you more frequently than an average of once a month, I will provide and use a separate opt-in process for such communications.
USE EMAIL. I will not use default forms for updates as they do not respect you and your time. They provide virtually no information and force you to start up your browser and then search for what is new on my profile. Instead I will provide the new information for the updates in the update email subject and body itself.
Thank you,
XXXX
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