When I joined LinkedIn in 2006, identifying a fake LinkedIn member was relatively easy to do as the member’s profile was woefully incomplete. The member didn’t have a profile picture, there was no work history or the person had zero or few professional connections established. Fast forward to 2011. Fraudulent profiles are very professional looking and are done in collusion with other fake members with photo images and professional background profile details such as work history being stolen from other web sites and real member profiles.

Here’s a case in point. Meet Nicole. Nicole’s LinkedIn profile notes that she is an Executive Director at a Big Four accounting firm in the Far East. She’s got an extensive and impressive work background consistent with working at an accounting firm and has been increasing her LinkedIn connection total. Here is the photo used in Nicole’s LinkedIn profile.

Now here is a 2005 news article about Australian actress Michelle Leslie who has an amazing likeness to Nicole [Nicole's Original Picture?].

Nicole is following other LinkedIn members including newly joined member Ralph. Ralph’s LinkedIn ID number is very close to Nicole’s meaning their profiles were created at about the same time. Here is Ralph’s photo.

Ralph is a Global Audit Partner at another accounting firm, has about the same number of connections as Nicole and has managed to join 10 LinkedIn groups (coincidentally the same 10 as Nicole). In addition Ralph appears to be doing some freelance modeling for Getty Images in his free time. [Ralph's Original Picture?]

These two members are further connected to a number of other questionable member profiles and as these members collectively increase their total followers, they are likely to join LinkedIn groups to post spam content or make networking connection requests with other LinkedIn members in order to solicit or spam them with potentially dangerous web links.

Now that LinkedIn has increased the awareness of its worldwide brand, the LinkedIn networking experience could unfortunately lose some of its luster. Hopefully, LinkedIn is working internally to address the increase in fraudulent profiles, but in the meantime LinkedIn members need to be aware that their next connection request or message/posting from a group member might not be from the person they think it is.

1. Global Network of Tech-Minded Finance Professionals – To join the Forums, each member must first join the DIGITALCFO LinkedIn group which ensures that Community members meet profile guidelines and all share technology backgrounds, professional experience and interests.

2. Expanded Member Profiles – Member profiles include your LinkedIn Profile URLs as well as provide supplemental information about work experience, travel/commuting preferences and professional credentials. With expanded profiles, members can better identify colleagues with similar backgrounds for networking and professional opportunities.

3. Improved Member Search – Members upgrading to a Professional subscription can browse Community members via a sortable roster listing. Members with Executive, Corporate or Partner subscriptions have access to full search capability of the Community member directory (Late 2011).

4. Integration with DIGITALCFO LinkedIn groups – Joining the Forums @ DIGITALCFO.com complements your membership in the DIGITALCFO LinkedIn group. To provide continuity between the LinkedIn group and online Forums, selected Community content is planned to be streamed back to the DIGITALCFO LinkedIn groups via news feeds.

5. News and Topics by Industry and Area of Functional Expertise – Members can find information or target questions to other members by common Industry or area of functional expertise (i.e. Tax or Technical Accounting). Members can then subscribe to the content which is relevant to them.

6. Better Community Collaboration – Posted content can be tagged as well as shared with others on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Members can share documents, videos and other information which increases activity within the Community.

To be part of this exciting new online community for Finance and Accounting professionals, you must first join the DIGITALCFO LinkedIn Group or if an executive search professional the DIGITALCFO PARTNERS LinkedIn Group. Once a member of one of the DIGITALCFO LinkedIn groups, you will receive additional information about how to register at the DIGITALCFO COMMUNITY.

Once registered, accessing the DIGITALCFO COMMUNITY is easy. Simply visit the DIGITALCFO.com website and enter via the LogIn tab in the upper right hand corner of the home page. Once logged in you can browse a variety of Information, Conversation, Announcement, Career and Resource Forums. Additional information about navigating the Forums are found in the Information Forums at DIGITALCFO.com.