LONDON — The Associated Press has identified a phantom LinkedIn profile that appears to use an artificially generated face, and experts say its activity is typical of espionage efforts on the professional networking site.
The imaginary “Katie Jones” seems plugged into the Washington’s political scene, with a job at a top think-tank and a who’s-who network of capital connections.
But this “Katie Jones” doesn’t exist, the AP has determined. Instead, the persona was part of a vast army of phantom profiles lurking on LinkedIn.
LinkedIn’s role as a giant Rolodex of American workers has made it a powerful magnet for spies of all stripes.
LinkedIn says it routinely takes action against fake accounts, yanking thousands of them in the first three months of 2019.
Raphael Satter, The Associated Press
