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Freedom251 › Blog › career advice

How to Stop Unwanted LinkedIn Messages and Side-Hustle Leads

By Freedom251 Team · · 9 min read

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LinkedIn has no single “turn off all messages” switch. To reduce unwanted outreach, narrow who can send invitations, disable the message categories you do not use, turn off Premium Open Profile when appropriate, and report and block persistent or suspicious senders. Treat unsolicited side-hustle and job offers as unverified until you independently confirm the person, company and role.

Why LinkedIn keeps sending messages

LinkedIn separates invitations, messages to non-connections, Premium features and conversations with people you already know. Each has its own control. Changing one setting therefore will not stop every type of outreach.

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An invitation is a request to become a 1st-degree connection. A message can arrive through a permitted category even when you have never connected. Premium members can also receive messages through Open Profile, which allows people outside their network to contact them for free. A 1st-degree connection is different again: LinkedIn says the general message-category setting cannot stop those messages. You must block a particular connection if you want to end that interaction.

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The most effective approach is to start with reversible settings, then use Ignore, reporting and blocking for individual senders. The table shows what each control actually changes.

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Control Who it affects What it stops or changes Reversible?
Invitations to connect People trying to send a connection request Narrows who may invite you: everyone, people who know your email address or are in Imported Contacts, or only people in Imported Contacts Yes; change the setting later
Message-category settings Non-connections using the categories covered by your toggles Turns selected categories of incoming messages off Yes; toggle categories again
Premium Open Profile People who are not connected to you and would otherwise use Open Profile Removes the free-message path provided by Open Profile Yes; Premium members can switch it back on
Ignore an invitation One invitation sender Removes the pending invitation without accepting it Generally; the invitation is gone, so the person would need to send another request if allowed
“I don’t know this person” The member whose invitation you do not recognize Prevents that member from sending further invitations and gives LinkedIn feedback for possible restrictions No simple undo for that specific invitation
Report a conversation A specific conversation Moves the conversation to spam and stops notifications for that thread; blocking may be offered Reporting is an enforcement action
Block a member One specific member Ends visibility of each other’s profiles, updates and messages Stronger than a toggle; unblock only if you deliberately want contact restored

First, narrow unwanted connection invitations

Desktop instructions

  1. Sign in to LinkedIn and select Me in the top navigation.
  2. Choose Settings & Privacy.
  3. Open Data privacy.
  4. Under Who can reach you, select Invitations to connect.
  5. Choose the narrowest option that still works for your networking: Everyone on LinkedIn, Only people who know your email address or are in your Imported Contacts, or Only people in your Imported Contacts.

The first option leaves invitations open to any LinkedIn member. The second requires a relationship through an email address LinkedIn recognizes or your imported contacts. The third is the strictest and may exclude legitimate people you have not yet added to your contacts.

Mobile instructions

  1. Tap your profile photo.
  2. Open Settings, then Data privacy.
  3. Tap Invitations to connect.
  4. Select the audience you want to permit.

This setting controls invitations, not every kind of message. A person may still reach you through an allowed message category or, for some Premium profiles, Open Profile.

Turn off message categories you do not want

Desktop path

  1. Select Me on LinkedIn.
  2. Open Settings & Privacy.
  3. Choose Data privacy.
  4. Open Messages.
  5. Review the available message types and toggle off the categories you do not want to receive.

Mobile path

  1. Tap your profile photo.
  2. Select Settings & Privacy.
  3. Open Data privacy, then Messages.
  4. Turn off the unwanted message categories.

The labels can vary as LinkedIn updates its interface, but the relevant area remains Data privacy > Messages. These toggles do not block messages from your existing 1st-degree connections. If one of those connections is the problem, use the member-level report and block controls described below.

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Use the least restrictive combination that solves your problem. For example, someone who wants occasional recruiting messages but not general promotional outreach can leave relevant professional categories enabled while disabling unrelated categories. If you switch everything off and later need to hear from a legitimate recruiter or client, you can return to the same screen and re-enable a category.

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Disable Premium Open Profile when it is attracting cold outreach

Open Profile is a Premium feature that lets people who are not connected to you send a message for free. If you do not want that path, Premium members can edit the profile introduction and switch Open Profile off.

  1. Open your LinkedIn profile.
  2. Choose the option to edit your profile introduction.
  3. Find the Open Profile setting.
  4. Switch it off and save the change.

Turning off Open Profile does not block every possible message. It removes this particular free-contact route. Invitations, other message categories and messages from existing connections are governed by their own controls.

Handle an invitation without inviting more spam

Use Ignore for an invitation you simply do not want

Select Ignore on the invitation. The request disappears without creating a connection, and the sender does not gain access to information you show only to 1st-degree connections.

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Use “I don’t know this person” when the sender is unfamiliar

If you do not recognize the person, choose I don’t know this person rather than accepting. LinkedIn says this prevents that member from sending further invitations and supplies feedback that may contribute to restrictions on the account.

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LinkedIn strongly recommends accepting invitations only from people you know because “1st-degree connections are given access to any information you’ve displayed on your profile.” That is a privacy decision as much as a spam decision: accepting a stranger turns an unknown sender into a connection with broader access.

Do not accept just to ask what the person wants

Accepting creates the relationship the sender is seeking and may expose profile information that was not visible before. If the request is legitimate, the person can explain the context in a permitted message or through a verifiable company channel. If it is not legitimate, accepting makes later cleanup harder.

Report and block a suspicious or persistent conversation

Report the conversation

  1. Open the LinkedIn conversation.
  2. Select More.
  3. Choose Report this conversation.
  4. Select the reason that best describes the problem and submit the report.

LinkedIn says a reported conversation is moved to spam and notifications for that thread stop. Depending on the case, LinkedIn may offer blocking as part of the process.

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Block the sender when you want all contact to end

Use the block option from the conversation or the member’s profile. After blocking, the two members no longer see each other’s profiles, updates or messages. Blocking is appropriate for repeat senders, harassment, impersonation and any contact you do not want to continue.

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Reporting and blocking solve different problems. Reporting gives LinkedIn information about the account or conversation and removes the thread from normal messaging. Blocking prevents the direct interaction between you and that member. For a suspicious side-hustle pitch, doing both is usually more effective than deleting the message alone.

Recognize a fake side-hustle or job lead

A polished profile or a familiar company name does not prove that an offer is genuine. Scammers may impersonate legitimate people or companies to steal money or identities. Evaluate the request itself, not just the branding around it.

Warning sign Why it is risky Safe response
The offer sounds too good to be true or promises high pay for very little work Unrealistic compensation is often used to make you overlook normal hiring checks Pause and verify the employer, role and compensation independently
The message is generic or not addressed personally Bulk outreach can indicate a campaign rather than a real assessment of your skills Do not provide personal information until the sender and role are confirmed
The sender asks for money, a transfer, a check, gift cards or a wire A real employer should not require you to fund the hiring process or send money back Do not pay, transfer funds or buy gift cards; report the conversation
The sender asks early for your Social Security number, bank details, identity-document photos or account codes These details can enable identity theft or account takeover Do not share them in an unsolicited exchange
You are told to buy equipment before starting Fake employers may use equipment purchases to take your money or payment details Do not purchase anything for the supposed employer
Urgent pressure to move to WhatsApp, Telegram or an external form Moving off LinkedIn can remove platform protections and make verification harder Keep the conversation on LinkedIn while you verify the opportunity
A link asks for sensitive applicant information The page may be a phishing site even if its design copies a company Do not click the unexpected link; type the company’s known web address yourself
The sender uses a generic email domain, poor grammar or a company identity they cannot substantiate These are common indicators of impersonation or low-quality mass scams Confirm the recruiter and vacancy through an independently found company channel

LinkedIn may display this warning when a conversation is being moved away from the platform: “This sender appears to be trying to move the conversation off LinkedIn. We recommend you review these safety tips before proceeding. View message anyway.” Treat that prompt as a reason to stop and verify, not as an instruction to continue.

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Verify a recruiter and company without relying on the message

  1. Pause before replying. Do not let urgency turn an unverified pitch into a decision. Save the message details so you can report it accurately.
  2. Find the company independently. Type the company’s known web address into your browser rather than using a link in the message. Look for the role on the company’s own careers page.
  3. Check whether the role exists. Compare the job title, duties, location and application instructions with the independently found listing. A mismatch is a reason to stop.
  4. Verify the sender through a separate channel. Use contact information published on the company’s own website, not an address or phone number supplied only by the recruiter.
  5. Keep sensitive information out of unsolicited chat. Do not send passwords, Social Security numbers, bank details, identity documents or account codes. Do not make purchases or transfers for a prospective employer.
  6. Report and block if verification fails. A legitimate opportunity can withstand ordinary verification. A sender who refuses it, becomes threatening or keeps demanding money should not receive further engagement.

Independent verification matters even when the person’s profile appears to belong to a real employee. Impersonators can copy names, photographs, job titles and company descriptions. The company’s independently published website and careers process are stronger evidence than the LinkedIn message itself.

What to do after you have clicked or shared something

If you only opened a suspicious message

Do not continue the conversation or follow additional links. Report the conversation, block the sender and keep the message available if LinkedIn or law enforcement needs details.

If you shared personal, financial or identity information

Stop communicating with the sender and report the conversation immediately. If money, a transfer, gift card or check was involved, report the suspected job scam to local law enforcement and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Do not send additional funds to “recover” money or to unlock a supposed payment.

If the sender is a connection

The message-category setting will not stop that 1st-degree connection. Use More → Report this conversation, submit the reason and block the member so the profiles, updates and messages are no longer visible to each other.

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A practical decision rule for every new message

  • Do you recognize the person? If not, do not accept an invitation merely to investigate. Ignore it, or choose “I don’t know this person” when appropriate.
  • Is the request asking for money, credentials, identity documents, equipment or urgency? Stop. Do not pay, purchase, transfer or disclose.
  • Does the sender want to move immediately to another app or an external form? Keep the exchange on LinkedIn while you independently verify the role and company.
  • Can you find the same role and contact through the company’s known website? If not, treat the offer as unverified and do not share sensitive information.
  • Does the contact continue after you have declined? Report and block rather than replying repeatedly.

Settings checklist

  • Review Data privacy → Who can reach you → Invitations to connect and choose the narrowest acceptable audience.
  • Review Data privacy → Messages and turn off unwanted message categories.
  • If you are a Premium member, check the profile introduction and disable Open Profile if free messages from non-connections are unwanted.
  • Ignore unfamiliar invitations; choose “I don’t know this person” when you want to prevent further invitations from that member.
  • Report suspicious conversations so they move to spam and notifications stop.
  • Block repeat, abusive or fraudulent senders.
  • Never pay a supposed employer, buy required equipment, or send passwords, Social Security numbers, bank details, identity documents or account codes in an unsolicited exchange.
  • Verify every company and vacancy through a web address and contact method you found independently.

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