How to Report an Impersonation Account on X (Twitter)

Impersonation accounts on X (formerly Twitter) often copy a public figure's display name and photo, then reply to popular posts to reach the real person's audience. Some promote crypto schemes or fake giveaways. Reporting an impersonation account on X works best when you can show which handle is real and how the fake one is misleading people.

This guide covers what to record, the reporting path on X, options without an account or on behalf of someone else, and what to do if the account stays up.

Before you report an impersonation account on X

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. Record the exact @handle, since display names on X can be identical to yours while the handle differs by a single character.
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 X: step by step

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

1. Go to the impersonating profile.
2. Click or tap the three-dot menu on the profile.
3. Select Report.
4. Choose the option for impersonation or pretending to be someone.
5. Indicate whether it is impersonating you or someone else and follow the prompts.
6. Submit and screenshot the confirmation.

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

1. Go to the X Help Center and search for "impersonation".
2. Open the impersonation report form linked from the policy page.
3. Enter the impersonating account's handle and your details.
4. Provide identity verification if requested.
5. Submit and keep the confirmation email.

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

1. Use the in-app report and choose the option that it is impersonating someone else.
2. Authorized representatives, such as agents or legal counsel, can use the impersonation form and indicate they are reporting on someone's behalf.
3. Keep proof of authorization available.

X has separate rules for parody, commentary and fan accounts, which are generally expected to state that clearly in the name and bio. An unlabelled account using your name and photo is the clearest impersonation case.

What happens after you report

X reviews the report and may contact you by email. Accounts that violate the impersonation policy may be suspended or required to change their profile.

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 X, 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.