🚨 Scam Alert: When a “Quick Question” on LinkedIn Isn’t What It Seems
I recently received a message on LinkedIn that, at first glance, felt harmless—maybe even professional. While I suspected it might be a scam, I decided to follow the conversation just far enough to understand what the scam was and how it worked.
What unfolded is a pattern more people should recognize.
How It Started: The Hook
The message was simple:
“Hey, can I ask you a quick question?”
No pitch. No links. Just curiosity.
I replied politely and asked how I could help. They followed up with a general question about my business—nothing technical, nothing sensitive. We exchanged a few messages. Everything still felt reasonable.
That’s intentional.
Scammers don’t start with scams. They start with rapport.
The Shift: From Professional to Personal
After a short back-and-forth, the tone changed:
“I really like you. I’d like to become closer friends.”
That’s when my guard went up. In professional settings—especially unsolicited ones—early emotional language without context is a red flag. Legitimate business conversations don’t usually pivot to personal closeness this quickly.
Still, I stayed neutral and continued observing.
The Real Goal: Moving Off the Platform
Soon after came the real ask:
“What’s the best way to stay in touch—WhatsApp or Signal?”
This is a critical moment in many modern scams.
Messaging apps aren’t the problem—the timing is. Scammers push conversations off professional platforms because:
There’s less moderation and oversight
No easy reporting trail
Encrypted, private communication
More room for long-term manipulation
I declined and responded clearly that I preferred to keep communication inside LinkedIn Messenger and that I was happy to discuss anything business-related there.
The Confirmation
About an hour later, the profile disappeared.
Either the account was deleted or LinkedIn detected suspicious behavior and removed it. Either way, the outcome confirmed what the pattern already suggested: this was not a legitimate connection.
Why This Is Dangerous (Without the Tech Jargon)
This wasn’t malware. There were no links. No obvious phishing attempt.
That’s what makes it dangerous.
This type of interaction is called social engineering—attacks that target people instead of systems. Once moved off-platform, these conversations often evolve into:
Fake investment or crypto opportunities
Business partnership scams
Credential harvesting
Executive or vendor impersonation
Requests for favors, files, or introductions
Financial or identity theft
The goal is simple: build trust first, exploit later.
Red Flags to Watch For
Be cautious when you see several of these together:
Vague openers like “quick question”
Early compliments or emotional language
Interest in you more than your business
Requests to move to WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram
No clear professional objective
New or “too perfect” profiles
Sudden disappearance after you set boundaries
What to Do If This Happens to You
If you encounter something like this, keep it simple:
Stay professional and topic-driven
Don’t move off the platform early
Set a clear boundary
“If there’s something business-related, feel free to share it here.”
Watch what happens next—disappearance is often your answer
Report and block the profile
Educate your team—these scams target employees at all levels
Firewalls don’t stop social engineering. Awareness does.
Why This Matters for Businesses
What starts as a casual LinkedIn message can turn into:
Financial fraud
Account compromise
Wire-transfer scams
Reputational damage
Modern cybersecurity isn’t just about tools—it’s about people, process, and awareness.
How Bit by Bit Can Help
At Bit by Bit Computer Consulting, we help organizations defend against the threats that don’t look like threats—until it’s too late.
We work with businesses to:
Train teams to recognize real-world social engineering
Strengthen security beyond basic software
Monitor suspicious activity and account compromise
Build practical, human-aware security programs
If you’d like help strengthening your organization’s security posture—or just want a second set of eyes on your current approach—we’re here to help.
👉 www.bitxbit.com
📞 877.860.5831
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