# Can I send LinkedIn connection requests to people I do not know?
> You can. LinkedIn still asks you to connect with people you know, and strangers can mark that you do not. Cold invites work when the reason is obvious and the volume stays low.
- HTML: https://omentir.com/help/can-i-send-linkedin-requests-to-people-i-dont-know
- Markdown: https://omentir.com/help/can-i-send-linkedin-requests-to-people-i-dont-know.md

The user agreement and invite screens push you toward people you know. In practice, B2B sellers send cold invites every day. LinkedIn also lets recipients mark "I don't know this person," which is a penalty box you should take seriously.

Cold is legal in the platform sense if you are not scraping, automating against the rules, or spamming. Cold is still rude if the note is a pitch. The workable version of cold is: public trigger, short reason, no ask, profile that looks like a peer.

People you went to school with, worked with, or met at an event are the easy yes. People who posted about the exact pain you solve this week are the next best. People who merely match a title filter are the ones who hit Ignore.

If a segment needs a long explanation of why you are reaching out, that segment is not ready for an invite. Use email, or wait until they publish something you can point at. Silence is cheaper than a report.

Keep cold volume inside a conservative daily cap so a few flags cannot take the week down. Omentir is built around sending from your own account at a human pace. It does not make a stranger obligated to accept.

## Related

- [What does "I don't know this person" do on LinkedIn?](https://omentir.com/help/what-does-i-dont-know-this-person-do-on-linkedin.md)
- [Should I include a note with a LinkedIn connection request?](https://omentir.com/help/should-i-include-a-note-with-linkedin-connection-request.md)
- [Is LinkedIn automation allowed?](https://omentir.com/help/is-linkedin-automation-allowed.md)

## Frequently asked questions

**Is cold inviting against LinkedIn's rules?**

LinkedIn wants relevant requests and gives people a way to mark strangers. Mass cold inviting with the same pitch is how accounts get limited. Selective cold inviting with a real reason is how most outbound teams actually work.

**Should I only invite 2nd-degree connections?**

2nd-degree often accepts better because a mutual name appears. It is not a rule. A 3rd-degree with a fresh, specific trigger can still be the right person.

**What if we share a group?**

Mention the group only if you actually participate in it. Fake group camaraderie is easy to spot.

**Can I invite customers of a competitor?**

You can invite employees of a competitor company. Do not pretend you are a customer. Be honest later if the conversation starts. See [how to reply when they already use a competitor](/help/how-to-reply-when-prospect-already-uses-a-competitor).

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