How to Report a YouTube Channel Impersonating You

A YouTube channel impersonating you may copy your channel name, banner and profile picture, re-upload your videos, or run live streams claiming to be you. Some promote scams in the comments of your genuine videos. Reporting a YouTube channel impersonating you means showing the reviewer that the channel is trying to pass as you, not just discussing or reacting to you.

This guide covers what to save first, the general reporting path, options without an account or on behalf of someone, and what to do next.

Before you report an impersonation account on YouTube

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. Save the channel URL, including the @handle or channel ID, because channel names 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 YouTube: step by step

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

1. Go to the impersonating channel's page.
2. Open the About section or the channel description panel.
3. Select the flag or Report user option (the label may vary).
4. Choose the option for impersonation.
5. Indicate whether the channel is impersonating you or another creator, and provide your genuine channel link if asked.
6. Submit and screenshot the confirmation.

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

1. Go to the YouTube Help Center and search for "impersonation".
2. Open the impersonation complaint form linked from the policy article.
3. Enter the impersonating channel's URL and your details.
4. Provide identity verification if requested.
5. Submit and save the confirmation.

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

1. Use the channel report path and choose the option indicating it is impersonating someone else.
2. Representatives can use the impersonation complaint form and should be ready to show authorization.
3. If the channel is re-uploading the creator's videos, the rights holder can file a separate copyright complaint.

Copyright complaints and impersonation reports are different processes on YouTube. Re-uploads of your own videos are usually a copyright matter, while a channel posing as you is an impersonation matter. Many cases involve both.

What happens after you report

YouTube reviews the report against its impersonation policy. Channels found to be impersonating someone may be removed or required to change. You may receive an email update.

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 YouTube, 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.