WHY IS THIS MESSAGE FISHY?

PROMPT

I received this message on LinkedIn and it seems super fishy to me although I'm not sure exactly why I have that perception. Can you identify things that make this message questionable?

MESSAGE

Seeking Your Collaboration and Mentorship for New Project

Dear Greg

I hope this message finds you well. My name is Maziar Khajehzade, and I am reaching out to you with great enthusiasm and a humble request for your guidance.

I am currently embarking on a new venture in software engineering, and I am excited to share my project idea with you. I am working on creating an application that revolutionizes the online shopping experience by allowing users to virtually try on clothes before making a purchase. With this application, I aim to provide shoppers with a lifelike fitting room experience from the comfort of their homes.

As a beginner in coding, I have been diligently learning through online courses, including your esteemed course and a few others on the Udemy app. Despite my background in medicine, I am passionate about exploring the world of software engineering and am determined to make a meaningful contribution.

However, as I navigate this journey, I realize the importance of seeking guidance from experienced professionals like yourself. Your expertise in software engineering would be immensely valuable to me, and I am eager to learn from your insights and advice.

With your mentorship, I believe I can overcome challenges more effectively and make strides in achieving my project goals. I kindly ask if you would be willing to serve as my mentor on this journey. Your mentorship would mean the world to me, and I am committed to making the most of this opportunity to learn and grow.

Thank you for considering my request. I look forward to the possibility of working together and am hopeful for the positive impact we can create through collaboration.

CHATGPT

When analyzing the message you received on LinkedIn for potential red flags or indicators that may suggest it's questionable or fishy, several factors come into play. Here are some elements that can contribute to such a perception:

Unsolicited Request for Mentorship: Genuine requests for mentorship usually come from individuals you have had previous interactions with or through formal programs. A cold outreach asking for such a significant commitment as mentorship can be suspicious.

Lack of Personal Connection or Context: If the sender mentions following your course among others but fails to provide specific details about how your course influenced them or lacks personalization beyond your name, it might indicate a lack of genuine engagement.

Vague or Overly Ambitious Project Description: The project is described in broad terms, aiming to "revolutionize" online shopping without providing concrete details or acknowledging the complexity and existing competitors in the space. This can be a red flag for naivety or lack of thorough research.

Background and Expertise Mismatch: The sender claims a background in medicine while venturing into a complex software engineering project as a beginner. While cross-disciplinary transitions are not uncommon, claiming to embark on a highly technical project with limited experience can raise questions about the sender's understanding and realism.

Immediate Jump to Mentorship: The transition from introducing themselves to immediately asking for mentorship without a prior relationship or offering to discuss ways to collaborate that respect your time and expertise might feel presumptuous.

Language and Tone: While the message is polite, its tone might seem overly flattering or ingratiating, a common tactic in phishing or scam messages to lower the recipient's guard.

Generic and Template-like Content: Parts of the message can appear as though they could be sent to anyone, lacking specificity about your work or how exactly you could help beyond general mentorship.

Absence of Concrete Information or Direct Contact Methods: If the message lacks specific details about the project or doesn't suggest a more direct or secure way of communication (like a professional email or a meeting), it might not be genuine.

Request for a Significant Commitment Upfront: Asking for a significant commitment like mentorship from someone who is essentially a stranger without first establishing rapport or offering something of value in return can be a sign of either naivety or a scam.

To gauge the authenticity of the request, you could:

??Research the Sender: Look up the person's LinkedIn profile, verify their background, and see if you have mutual connections.

??Ask for More Details: A genuine requester would be willing to share more about their project, how they found you, and why they believe you're the right mentor for them.

??Proceed with Caution: If you decide to respond, keep the communication within professional and secure channels until you're confident of the sender's intentions.