The Mysterious Disappearing LinkedIn Messages

Yesterday I mentioned that two "recruiters" contacted me on LinkedIn.

I only shared one conversation because, in this one, I asked a direct question:

"Are you filling a role or selling a resume service?"

The response was direct:

"Filling a role."

I was then asked if I'd like the job description, and I said yes. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a screenshot of that part of the conversation.

Today I went back into LinkedIn Messaging to review both conversations.

Both were gone.

Not archived. Not deleted by me. Just... gone. As if they never existed.

I'm not sure what happened or why. Maybe @LinkedIn removed the accounts. Maybe something else occurred. I don't have enough information to draw that conclusion.

What I do know is that these types of interactions seem to be becoming more common.

I'd love to see LinkedIn continue investing in stronger verification of recruiter profiles and better technology to reduce fake accounts and questionable outreach. It would help job seekers spend more time evaluating real opportunities and less time wondering whether the person on the other end is genuine.

I've been documenting these experiences, along with other observations from my job search, on my blog at NielFlamm.com/blog. I hope sharing what I encounter helps others stay informed.

Have you had recruiter messages mysteriously disappear, or experienced something similar?