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What should you do to be less susceptible?

There are 4 simple R’s that can help keep yourself and your network protected.
RECOGNISE the Malicious Accounts
When a new connection adds you or gets in touch on social networks check to see if you recognise
them first. If you do not recognise them watch out for signs that you can associate with fake or
malicious profiles, these include:
• Profile Picture: Picture of highly attractive individual in a formulaic business setting such as an office.
Largely detectable with reverse image search.
• Company affiliation/description: Generic, non-descript consultancy or recruitment company.
Reference to government contacts, ‘state owned’ enterprises. Similar content to other suspicious
profiles.
• Unrealistic job roles: Very senior or high-profile job roles, with a young profile picture.
REALISE the Potential Threat
You may realise the threat from the way the profile looks and the kind of personal and professional
information it lists. But if not, the next signs you should look for are related to the way the profile
engages with you.
• Is it too good to be true? Offering remote, flexible working, a disproportionately high salary for the
role advertised, an invitation to write in a ‘prestigious’ journal or other publication – sometimes
for a high fee. This may be an offer for thousands of pounds for writing a report or giving a
presentation.
• Is there a lack of detail? A lack of any visible or checkable company information available online. The
role itself lacks tangible details and instead focuses on working with unspecified clients.
• Is there an emphasis on urgency or scarcity? Overly responsive to messages, and quick to secure a
meeting. Attempts to rush you off the website/platform onto another communication method.
Emphasis on so called limited, one-off or exclusive opportunities. Excessive use of terms like “high-
end”, “high-impact”, “renowned”, “expert”, “talent”.
REPORT Suspicious Profiles
Once you realise that you might have been contacted by a malicious profile, reporting them to your
Security Manage is the best way to protect yourself and others. All platforms provide robust reporting
mechanisms for suspicious profiles or content and you should report through these channels
as well as reporting internally.
REMOVE Malicious Accounts from your Network
Keeping malicious profiles in your network adds legitimacy to them and puts your colleagues,
organisation, and other contacts at risk. Encourage your trusted friends and colleagues to also remove
these profiles if they have connected too.

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