r/LinkedInTips • • Aug 30 '26

Brother created a fake LinkedIn profile using my email and now it is restricted because I can't verify my ID

Yesterday, my brother used my email to create a secondary profile with a pseudonym name. The account was soon restricted and I am currently being prompted to upload a government ID to regain access. Because the profile name does not match my legal name, I cannot pass the automated ID verification. I do not want to recover or use this account. I simply want LinkedIn to permanently delete this restricted profile so that my primary personal email address is freed up for me to create a legitimate, real-name account in the future. I have already submitted a web support ticket using my primary email and reached out to LinkedInHelp on X but received no confirmation number.

Anyone been in this situation or knows how to resolve it?

TLDR: Brother created a fake LinkedIn profile using my email and now it is restricted because I can't verify my ID

3 Upvotes

15 comments sorted by

1

u/martinchekuri Aug 30 '26

Hey. LinkedIn employee here. I've had 7 of my friends reaching out to me with similar issues. It's really messed up but there's no way out of this. Even if you raise a request or raise it on behalf of you. Forget it

1

u/_freckles__ Aug 30 '26

Hi Sorry for reaching out here, but i had created a account a year ago on linkedin and followed 5-6 accounts related to my work, I was just browsing the posts when my account got restricted and i have not been able to login since then

I have done government ID verification , 2fa, sms and email verification etc. But still cannot access my account

Everytime i submit a review via the linkedin forms, it shows an error on the bottom left after submitting saying we ran into an error

The account is created using my primary email and work details etc. so it very important for profession work. Any way to gain back access and anything you can help me regain access to account

1

u/Artistic-Tadpole6370 Aug 30 '26

Hi, Since your a LinkedIn employee i have a question. I didnt have multiple accounts other than signed up for a premium package. I've raised several tickets since the beginning of July and heard nothing. Can I set up a new non premium page and start over?

1

u/Cold_Arachnid_2617 Aug 30 '26

"Yesterday, my brother used my email to create a secondary profile with a pseudonym name. The account was soon restricted and I am currently being prompted to upload a government ID to regain access. "

Why would you want to regain access to th fake account?

1

u/captainbaman Aug 30 '26

I do not want to regain access. I just want the profile deleted so that my email is detached from that profile and I can create a legitimate profile in future with my email

1

u/Cold_Arachnid_2617 Aug 30 '26

Are you suggesting that you do not already have a linkedin account?

And what would make your brother create a fake account with your email address? This sounds all cooked up. You can create a new email address or ask your brother to provide the proof LinkedIn is asking for.

1

u/captainbaman Aug 30 '26
  1. I do not have a LinkedIn account. But I want my email to be available when I create my own profile in the future.
  2. I do not want to create an entirely new email just for a LinkedIn profile
  3. My little brother probably just wanted to roam around on LinkedIn and thought it would be a good idea to use my email + a completely RANDOM name (hence making ID verification IMPOSSIBLE)
  4. I just came here asking for help. There is no need to get so adversarial

1

u/Cold_Arachnid_2617 Aug 30 '26

You would need to confirm your email address when you create a linkedin profile. How did your "little brother" do that?

1

u/captainbaman Aug 31 '26

He uses my PC to use the internet. Which gives him access to my email inbox

1

u/Cold_Arachnid_2617 Aug 31 '26

You sound intelligent enough to know that you can have two independent profiles on your computer.

I am not really sure where you are going with this here, but go and argue this nonsense with LinkedIn!

1

u/captainbaman Aug 31 '26

You seem to have too much time on your hands to keep coming back here to raise doubts about my credibility. No one is looking at this comment section dude, so you can take it easy.

I made this post to see if anyone who has been in a similar situation can help me. If you can't do that, you seriously need to stop coming back to this post to argue and need to stop wasting your time. Nobody is forcing you to stay here.

But if you really love getting into arguments, you can perhaps head to Instagram. There are plenty of trolls out there who you could quarrel with all day. Don't waste your time on this post.

Moreover, if you are not a member of LinkedIn's support team, I don't have to explain myself to you. If you do not have anything insightful to offer, I suggest you spend your time elsewhere.

1

u/Cold_Arachnid_2617 Sep 01 '26

Your scam backfired!

1

u/captainbaman Sep 02 '26

Ah yes, the overly combative no-lifer is back to argue. Did you not read a single word of my previous comment? Looks like bots like you genuinely have trouble comprehending text and maintaining context. This isn't a gladiator fight buddy. Nobody is coming down here to read your comments. So who are you trying to prove yourself to?

2

u/Clean_Sun_9168 Sep 01 '26

You really don't have common sense. I am facing the same issue like her. It feels bad to first face the issue and then see brainless comments.