LinkedIn is a powerful social media platform for professionals and business owners who want to network, generate leads, and grow their careers.
But did you know that LinkedIn has rules and regulations that you need to follow to avoid getting your account restricted or banned?
If you violate LinkedIn’s policies or user agreement, you might end up in what some people call “LinkedIn jail“.
This is a term for having a restriction on your account that limits your ability to use LinkedIn’s features and services.
Being in LinkedIn jail can harm your reputation, your relationships, and your opportunities.
In this article, we will explain what LinkedIn jail is, how to know if you are in it, why you might get put in it, how to get out of it, and how to stay out of it.
By following these tips, you can use LinkedIn safely and effectively without risking your account.
What Is LinkedIn Jail?
There are different levels of account restriction, depending on the severity of the violation and the number of times you have broken the rules.
- temporary: can be lifted after a certain period of time or after you complete some actions.
- permanent: can only be removed by contacting LinkedIn customer support.
- irreversible: can result in your account being deleted.
LinkedIn has the right to restrict or terminate your account at any time if you breach its user agreement, professional community policies, or privacy policy.
These documents outline the dos and don’ts of using LinkedIn, as well as the consequences of violating them.
How Do I Know If I’m In LinkedIn Jail?
The easiest way to know if you are in LinkedIn jail is to try to log in to your account.
If you see a message that says “Your account is restricted“, then you are in LinkedIn jail.
You might also receive an email from LinkedIn informing you about the restriction and the reason behind it.
Depending on the type of restriction, you might still be able to access some parts of your account, but not others.
For example, you might be able to view your profile and news feed, but not send messages or connection requests. Or you might be able to use LinkedIn on your desktop browser, but not on your mobile app.
If you are not sure why your account is restricted or how long the restriction will last, you can click on the “Learn more” link on the restriction message or email. This will take you to a page where you can find more information about the restriction and how to resolve it.
Why Would I Get In LinkedIn jail?
There are many reasons why you might get put in LinkedIn jail. Some of them are obvious, such as creating a fake account, posting inappropriate content, or harassing other users.
Some of them are less obvious, such as using automation tools, sending too many connection requests, or connecting from multiple IP addresses.
Here are some of the most common causes of account restriction on LinkedIn:
- You created a fake Linkedin account
- You used automation tools
- You are spammy
- You are scraping linkedin too fast
- You publish content against the rules
- You connect from multiple IP addresses
1. You created a fake Linkedin account
LinkedIn requires that you use your real name and provide accurate information about yourself and your business on your profile.
Creating a false identity or impersonating someone else is a serious violation of LinkedIn’s user agreement and can result in your account being restricted or deleted.
To avoid this, make sure that your name matches your legal name or the name that you use professionally.
Do not add any special characters or symbols to your name field, as this can also trigger a restriction. And do not create multiple linkedin accounts for yourself or for others without permission.
2. You used automation tools
LinkedIn does not officially allow the use of automation tools that perform actions on your behalf without your direct involvement.
This includes tools that send connection requests, messages, endorsements, likes, comments, or invitations automatically.
Using tools to automate your linkedin lead generation can violate LinkedIn’s user agreement and professional community policies, as well as spam laws and privacy laws.
To avoid this, only use trusted third-party software or browser extensions that impose limits on their usage like Evaboot or LaGrowthMachine.
3. Your are spammy
LinkedIn limits the number of connection requests that you can send to people who are not in your network. This is to prevent spam and to encourage quality connections.
If you send too many connection requests that are ignored or declined, LinkedIn might restrict your account or require you to enter a verification code or an email address for each request.
To avoid this, only send connection requests to people who you know or who have a common interest or goal with you.
Do not send connection requests randomly or to strangers. And always include a personalized note explaining why you want to connect with them and how you can add value to their network.
LinkedIn also limits the number of messages that you can send to your connections and to other users. This is to prevent spam and to protect the privacy of users.
If you send too many messages that are irrelevant, unsolicited, or unwanted, LinkedIn might restrict your account or require you to enter a captcha for each message.
4. You are scraping Linkedin too fast
If you scrape LinkedIn too fast, it can trigger the platform’s automatic security measures, which can restrict your account.
This is because rapid scraping can be interpreted as a potential security threat, and LinkedIn algorithms may flag your account as a bot.
As a result, your account may be restricted from accessing certain features or even suspended altogether.
Therefore, it’s essential to scrape LinkedIn pages at a reasonable rate to avoid triggering these security measures. This ensures that you can continue to use the platform within the bounds of its policies and guidelines.
5. You publish content against the rules
Writing content on LinkedIn that goes against LinkedIn’s rules and regulations can lead to the suspension or termination of your LinkedIn account.
LinkedIn has strict policies in place to ensure that its platform remains professional and safe for all users.
If you violate these policies by posting inappropriate or offensive content, spamming or engaging in other unethical activities, you risk having your account flagged and suspended or permanently banned.
I made this experience when I published a linkedin hack with linkedin profile:
LinkedIn has a team of moderators who monitor the platform for any such violations, and they take swift action to protect the integrity of the site.
Therefore, it’s important to always follow the platform’s guidelines and best practices to ensure your account remains in good standing and you don’t lose access to its features.
6. You connect from multiple IP addresses
LinkedIn monitors the IP addresses that you use to access your account.
This is to prevent unauthorized access and to protect your account security.
If you connect from multiple IP addresses that are different from your usual location, LinkedIn might restrict your account or ask you to verify your identity.
To avoid this, only access your account from devices and networks that you trust and that are consistent with your location.
Do not use VPNs, proxies, or public Wi-Fi networks that can change your IP address frequently. And always enable two-step verification on your account for extra security.
How To Get Out of LinkedIn Jail?
If you find yourself in LinkedIn jail, don’t panic. There are some steps that you can take to try to get out of it and restore your account functionality.
Here is what to do when face a linkedin account restriction:
- Follow LinkedIn’s instructions
- Contact LinkedIn customer support
- Stop all your LinkedIn automations
1. Follow LinkedIn’s instructions
The first thing that you should do is to follow the instructions that LinkedIn provides on the restriction message or email.
Depending on the type of restriction, you might be asked to do one or more of the following:
- Verify your email address or phone number
- Enter a verification code or a captcha
- Upload a photo of your ID or passport
- Change your password
- Review and accept LinkedIn’s policies
- Delete any content that violates LinkedIn’s policies
- Complete an online course on LinkedIn etiquette
By completing these actions, you might be able to lift the restriction immediately or within a few days.
2. Contact LinkedIn customer support
If following LinkedIn’s instructions does not work or if you think that the restriction was a mistake, you can contact LinkedIn customer support and request them to review your case.
You can do this by clicking on the “Contact us” link on the restriction message or email, or by visiting LinkedIn Help Center.
LinkedIn customer support might take some time to respond to your request, depending on the volume of inquiries and the complexity of your case.
Be patient and follow up if necessary. If your request is approved, LinkedIn will remove the restriction from your account and notify you by email.
3. Stop all your LinkedIn automations
If you are using any linkedin automation tools to perform actions on LinkedIn, you should stop them immediately and uninstall them from your devices or browsers.
Automation tools can be detected by LinkedIn and can cause your account to be restricted or banned.
By stopping all your LinkedIn automations and reducing your activity level, you can show
LinkedIn that you are not a spammer or a bot, and that you are willing to follow their rules and guidelines.
How To Stay Out of LinkedIn Jail?
Once you get out of LinkedIn jail, you don’t want to go back there again.
That’s why you need to take some preventive measures to stay out of LinkedIn jail and use LinkedIn safely and effectively.
Here are some of them:
- Optimize your Linkedin Profile
- Stay under recommended scraping limitations
- Setup limits to your Linkedin automations
- Limit manual actions while using automations
- Send connection requests without notes
- Send personalized messages
- Buy a Linkedin premium license
- Stop automation outside working hours
- Contact Open Profiles via free Inmails
- Send messages requests
1. Optimize your LinkedIn profile
One of the best ways to stay out of LinkedIn jail is to optimize your LinkedIn profile and make it as professional and authentic as possible.
This means that you should update your profile with accurate and relevant information about yourself and your business, such as:
- headline
- summary
- experience
- education
- skills
- endorsements
- recommendations
- achievements.
By optimizing your LinkedIn profile, you can show LinkedIn that you are a real person with a legitimate purpose and value on their platform.
You can also attract more attention and interest from other users who might want to connect with you or do business with you.
2. Stay under recommended scraping limitations
If you are using tools to export lists from Sales Navigator or Linkedin, you must stay under the recommended scraping limitations to avoid linkedin jail:
- 80 profiles per day for linkedin basic scraping
- 2500 profiles for Linkedin Sales Navigator scraping
It’s important that the linkedin scraping tools you use automatically warn you where you are about to cross that limit.
That is what Evaboot does to protect your Linkedin account.
3. Set up limits to your LinkedIn automations
If you decide to use linkedin prospecting tools to enhance your LinkedIn activities, you should do so with caution and moderation.
You should set up limits to your automation tools and make sure that they do not exceed the thresholds that LinkedIn allows for each action.
For example, you should not send more than:
- 200 connection requests per week
- 150 messages per day.
By setting up limits to your automation tools, you can avoid triggering LinkedIn’s spam filters and getting flagged as a suspicious user.
You can also avoid overwhelming or annoying other users with too many requests or message.
4. Limit manual actions while using automations
If you are using automation tools, you should also limit your manual actions while the automation tools are running.
This means that you should not perform the same actions manually that the automation tools are doing automatically.
For example, if you are using an automation tool to send connection requests, you should not send connection requests manually at the same time.
By limiting manual actions while using automations, you can avoid duplicating or conflicting actions that might confuse or irritate other users or LinkedIn’s algorithm. You can also avoid exceeding the limits that LinkedIn imposes for each action.
5. Send connection requests without notes
Another way to stay out of LinkedIn jail is to send connection requests without notes. This might sound counterintuitive, as most people advise adding a personalized note to increase the chances of acceptance.
However, sending connection requests without notes can actually have some benefits.
First, sending connection requests without notes can save you time and effort, as you don’t have to write a unique message for each request.
Second, sending connection requests without notes can reduce the risk of getting reported or blocked by other users who might find your notes spammy or irrelevant. Third, sending connection requests without notes can increase the acceptance rate, as some users might prefer to accept requests without notes and then start a conversation later.
6. Send short and personalized messages
While sending connection requests without notes can be a good strategy, sending personalized messages can be an even better one.
This means that you should send messages that are tailored to the recipient and that show that you have done some research on them or their business. You should also send messages that are relevant, respectful, and valuable to the recipient.
By sending personalized messages, you can build rapport and trust with your connections and potential clients. You can also increase the response rate and the conversion rate of your messages.
And you can avoid getting reported or ignored by other users who might receive generic or salesy messages from other users.
7. Buy a LinkedIn Premium license
Another way to stay out of LinkedIn jail is to buy a LinkedIn Premium license like Premium, Sales Navigator or Recruiter.
We made an experiment on a linkedin prospecting campaign with 2 accounts:
- 1 with Sales Navigator subscription
- 1 free accounts
After a week of intense prospecting, the free account has been restricted, but not the paid ones.
By buying a LinkedIn Premium license, you show LinkedIn that you are a serious and committed user who values their platform and services.
You can also increase your visibility and credibility on LinkedIn and reach out to more people who might not be in your network. And you can avoid some limitations and restrictions that apply to free users.
8. Stop automation outside working hours
If you are using automation tools, you should also stop them outside working hours.
This means that you should not run your automation tools during nights, weekends, or holidays, when most people are not active on LinkedIn or expect to receive requests or messages from other users.
That is something you can easy setup if you use a multichannel outreach tool like LaGrowthMachine.
9. Contact Open Profiles with free InMails
Another way to stay out of LinkedIn jail is to contact open profiles with free InMails.
Open profiles are profiles that allow anyone on LinkedIn to send them a message for free, without using an InMail credit or being connected to them.
You can identify open profiles by looking for a blue icon next to their name.
By contacting open profiles with free InMails, you can reach out to more people who might be interested in your offer or service, without spending money or risking your account.
You can also increase the chances of getting a reply, as open profiles are usually more open and responsive to messages from other users.
10. Send message requests
Another way to stay out of LinkedIn jail is to send message requests instead of connection requests.
Message requests are requests that allow you to send a message to someone who is not in your network, without using an InMail credit or being connected to them.
You can send message requests by clicking on the “Message” button on their profile.
By sending message requests instead of connection requests, you can avoid reaching the limit of connection requests that LinkedIn imposes on each user.
You can also avoid getting rejected or ignored by other users who might not want to connect with you. And you can start a conversation with someone who might be interested in your offer or service, without adding them to your network.
How long does a LinkedIn ban last?
The length of the ban varies depending on the severity of the offense. For minor violations, such as sending too many connection requests or posting inappropriate content, the ban may last for a few days to a week.
However, for more serious offenses, such as engaging in fraudulent activity or repeatedly violating the rules, the ban can last for several months or even result in a permanent ban.
LinkedIn typically sends a notification outlining the reason for the ban and the duration of the punishment. It’s important to review and understand the platform’s guidelines to avoid getting banned and damaging your professional reputation.
Conclusion
LinkedIn jail is a term for having a restriction on your account that prevents you from using LinkedIn’s features and services fully.
It can happen for various reasons, such as creating a fake account, using automation tools, sending too many connection requests or messages, or connecting from multiple IP addresses.
To get out of LinkedIn jail, you need to follow LinkedIn’s instructions, contact LinkedIn customer support, stop all your LinkedIn automations.
To stay out of LinkedIn jail, you need to optimize your LinkedIn profile, set up limits to your LinkedIn automations, limit manual actions while using automations, send connection requests without notes, send personalized messages, buy a LinkedIn Premium license, stop automation outside working hours, contact open profiles with free InMails, and send message requests.
By following these tips, you can use LinkedIn safely and effectively without risking your account. You can also grow your network, generate more leads, and advance your career on LinkedIn.
Disclosure
This content was partly written by AI (ChatGPT 4), I added my own perspective, fact-checked it and made sure it is helpful for you.
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