Finding a fake version of yourself on Facebook is unsettling. Someone has taken your name, possibly your photos, and created a profile pretending to be you — usually to scam your friends and family. Here is what to do about it, step by step.
Why this happens
Scammers create fake profiles of real people to contact that person’s friends and family. The fake “you” sends messages asking for money, gift cards, or personal information. Because it looks like it’s coming from someone they know and trust, people sometimes fall for it.
It can also happen when someone just wants to harass you or damage your reputation. Either way, the fake profile needs to come down.
Step 1 — Report the fake profile to Facebook
- Go to the fake profile page.
- Click the three dots (…) near the top of the profile — usually next to the Message button.
- Choose “Find support or report profile.”
- Select “Pretending to be someone” and then “Me.”
- Follow the prompts and submit the report.
Facebook reviews these reports and typically removes fake impersonation profiles. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
Step 2 — Warn your friends and family
Don’t wait for Facebook to act. Post on your real profile right away letting people know the fake account exists. Something simple works fine: “Heads up — someone has created a fake Facebook profile using my name and photos. Please ignore any messages from that account asking for money or personal information. It is not me.”
This is the fastest way to protect the people you care about.
Step 3 — Lock down your real profile
- Go to Settings → Privacy and set your friends list to visible to “Only me.” This makes it harder for scammers to know who to target.
- Set your photos to visible to “Friends” only so scammers can’t easily steal more of them.
- Turn on two-factor authentication so no one can get into your real account.
If the fake profile is sending messages to your contacts
Ask anyone who received a message from the fake account to also report it. Multiple reports from different people speeds up Facebook’s review process significantly.
If the scammer asked someone for money and they sent it, that person should contact their bank immediately to report the fraud and try to reverse the transaction.
One thing worth knowing
Facebook will not notify you when the fake profile is removed. Keep checking back on the profile link every day or two until it disappears. If a week goes by and nothing has happened, submit a second report.
This is more common than most people realize and Facebook does take it seriously. The key is acting quickly — report it, warn your people, and lock down your settings. That covers all three bases.
Have a Facebook or social media question? Ask John at JohnExplainsIt.com — plain English answers, no judgment.