Executive Impersonation on LinkedIn: 23 Fake Profiles Used to Solicit Our Clients

Background

A management consulting firm was contacted by a prospective client who referenced a proposal they had never sent. Investigation revealed a fake LinkedIn profile impersonating one of their partners had been used to generate the lead and solicit a payment.

Investigation Methodology

1. LinkedIn Profile Search: We conducted systematic searches for profiles using the firm's partners' and directors' names, photos, and professional descriptions.
2. Impersonation Network Mapping: Discovered fake profiles were analyzed for creation patterns, connection networks, and messaging patterns to determine if they were part of a coordinated operation.
3. Client Impact Assessment: The firm's client base was cross-referenced with the fake profiles' connection lists to determine which clients may have been contacted.

Key Findings

• 23 fake LinkedIn profiles were discovered, impersonating 11 different partners and directors at the firm.
• All profiles were created within a 6-week window using the real executives' photos and slightly modified professional descriptions.
• The profiles were being used to solicit "engagement deposits" from prospective clients, with payments directed to offshore accounts.
• 3 existing clients had accepted connection requests from the imposters.

Outcome

All 23 profiles were reported and removed by LinkedIn. The 3 contacted clients were warned and confirmed no payments had been made. A LinkedIn monitoring protocol was established for ongoing protection. Total investigation time: 2 weeks.