How to Report a Fake Facebook Profile Impersonating You

Fake Facebook profiles impersonating real people are often used to send friend requests to the real person's contacts and then ask for money or personal details. Some copy a business page or a public figure's profile instead. Reporting a fake Facebook profile impersonating you is straightforward once you know the route, and a clear record makes the reviewer's job easier.

This guide covers documentation first, then the reporting paths for people with and without a Facebook account, and what to do if a report doesn't succeed.

Before you report an impersonation account on Facebook

A clear record makes a report easier to review, and it can't be rebuilt once the account is renamed or deleted.

1. Take full-screen screenshots of the profile, including the name, username, profile photo, bio and follower count. Keep your device clock visible if you can.
2. Screenshot the posts, stories or messages that show the impersonation, especially anything asking people for money, personal details or contact off the platform.
3. Copy and save the full profile URL. On Facebook, the profile URL may include a numeric ID or a custom username. Save the full URL exactly as it appears, because the display name can be changed at any time.
4. Write down the date and time you found the account, and how you found it (for example, a friend sent you a link).
5. Save any messages people received from the account, with the sender's name visible.
6. Store everything in one folder, and do not edit or crop the original files. Make a copy if you need to annotate anything.

Avoid messaging the account, commenting on its posts or publicly calling it out before you report. That can prompt the person behind it to change the username or delete evidence without making removal any faster. Our guide on how to preserve evidence covers documentation in more depth.

How to report an impersonation account on Facebook: step by step

If you have a Facebook account, this is usually the fastest route:

1. Go to the fake profile.
2. Click or tap the three-dot menu below or beside the cover photo.
3. Select Find support or report profile (or the current equivalent).
4. Choose the option for Pretending to be someone or Fake profile.
5. Select Me if the profile is impersonating you, and follow the prompts.
6. Submit the report and screenshot the confirmation.

If you don't have a Facebook account, or you have been blocked by the impersonator:

1. Go to the Facebook Help Center and search for "impersonation" or "fake account".
2. Open the impersonation report form linked from the help article for people without an account.
3. Paste the fake profile's URL and fill in your details.
4. Upload a photo of a government-issued ID if requested.
5. Submit the form and keep any confirmation.

If you are reporting on behalf of someone else, such as a client, family member or employer:

1. In the report flow, choose the option for someone I know, or a celebrity or public figure.
2. If the person being impersonated cannot report themselves, ask them to confirm the report directly when possible, as Facebook often needs the impersonated person involved.
3. Authorized representatives can use the Help Center impersonation form and should keep proof of authority ready.

If the impersonation copies a Facebook Page rather than a personal profile, use the Page's own three-dot menu and report it in the same way. Fake ads using your face can be reported from the ad itself through its menu.

What happens after you report

Facebook reviews the report against its policies on impersonation and inauthentic accounts. You can usually follow the status in your Support Inbox. If the profile is found to be impersonating you, it is typically removed.

Platforms do not publish a fixed timeline for impersonation reviews, and response times vary with the volume of reports and how clearly the report shows impersonation. While you wait, keep checking the account and add new screenshots to your folder if it posts again or changes its name.

What to do if your report is rejected

A rejected report does not always mean the platform decided the account is allowed. Often the report lacked something the reviewer needed. Before trying again:

1. Check the decision message for the reason and for any option to request another review. Use it if it exists.
2. Confirm you chose the impersonation category, not a general spam or harassment category.
3. Make sure you submitted through the official impersonation form with identity documents if the in-app report was declined.
4. Gather any new evidence, such as messages sent to your contacts, ads, or posts claiming to be you, and submit a fresh report that references it.
5. Ask people who were contacted by the account to file their own reports describing what happened to them.
6. Keep a log of each report, the date, the reference number if any, and the outcome.

If the account is being used for fraud, threats or extortion, consider also reporting it to local police or your national cybercrime reporting service. A police reference number can be useful later.

When to get help

Self-reporting works for many simple cases. It tends to stall when there are several accounts, when the account keeps returning under new names, when it is running scams in your name, or when you are a public figure and the account is drawing real attention. In those situations Eterna's fake account removal service verifies the account, preserves evidence and escalates through the channels available, within your authorization. Removal decisions remain with Facebook, and no outcome can be guaranteed.

For a wider view of impersonation risk, see our AI impersonation protection page and the guide to what to do when someone uses your name or photos.