How to Report an Impersonation Account on Instagram

An Instagram account using your name and photos can appear overnight. It might follow your friends, message your followers, or advertise something you have never heard of. Learning how to report an impersonation account on Instagram properly, with the right evidence and the right category, gives the report the best chance of being reviewed as impersonation rather than dismissed as a general complaint.

Below: what to record, how to report in the app or without an account, and what to do next.

Before you report an impersonation account on Instagram

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. Note the exact username (the @handle), because display names can be changed in seconds while the profile link and handle history are what reviewers look at.
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 Instagram: step by step

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

1. Open the impersonating profile in the Instagram app.
2. Tap the three-dot menu at the top of the profile.
3. Tap Report, then choose the option for reporting the account rather than a single post.
4. Select the option along the lines of "It's pretending to be someone else" or "Pretending to be someone".
5. Choose "Me" if the account is impersonating you, and follow the remaining prompts.
6. Submit the report and keep a screenshot of the confirmation screen.

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

1. Go to the Instagram Help Center and search for "impersonation".
2. Open the impersonation report form linked from the help article.
3. Enter the impersonating account's username and the profile URL.
4. Upload a clear photo of a government-issued ID if the form asks for it, so Instagram can confirm you are the person being impersonated.
5. Describe briefly how the account is pretending to be you and submit.

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

1. In the app, follow the same report path but choose the option for someone you know, or a celebrity or public figure, instead of "Me".
2. If you are an authorized representative, use the Help Center impersonation form and select the option for reporting on behalf of someone else.
3. Be prepared to show your authority to act, such as a letter of authorization, and in many cases the person being impersonated may need to confirm their identity themselves.

What happens after you report

Instagram reviews the report against its impersonation policy. You may see the outcome in your support requests or account notifications. If the account is found to be impersonating you, it is typically removed. If not, the decision message may offer a way to request another review.

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 Instagram, 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.