How to report a Facebook impersonation

Odds are, someone is pretending to be your business on Facebook right now. They're using your logo, copying your posts, and messaging your customers with fake offers and scam links.

Unfortunately, social media impersonation has become one of the biggest challenges businesses face online. In Q4 2023, impersonation accounted for 45% of reported cybersecurity incidents, making it the leading threat across all platforms.

These accounts use your hard-earned reputation to run scams against your audience, launch social engineering attacks, and cause lasting damage to your brand image. Our guide to social media impersonation explains why it happens and how to prevent it.

So in this guide, we'll show you exactly how to report Facebook impersonators, both through the platform's direct reporting tools and their dedicated impersonation form. We'll also cover the fastest way to find fake accounts.

How to report a Facebook profile or page pretending to be you or someone else

If you see a profile or Page that's pretending to be you, someone you know, or a public figure like a celebrity or politician, report it immediately. Here's how to do it.

How to report a profile

1. Go to the impersonating profile. If you can't find it, try searching for the name or asking a friend to send you a link to it.
2. Click "Options" next to the "Message" button.
3. Select "Report profile."

4. Select "Something about this profile."
5. Select "Fake profile."
6. Select the option that applies, like "A business."
7. Follow the prompts to complete your report.

Response times vary depending on report volume, but most impersonation reports receive attention within a few days. That said, keep screenshots of the fake profile as evidence in case you need them for follow-up reports or legal action.

How to report a Facebook page

The process for reporting an impersonating Facebook Page is similar:

1. Go to the impersonating Page. If you can't find it, try searching for the name or asking a friend to send you a link to it.
2. Click "Options" next to the "Subscribe" button.
3. Select "Report Page."

4. Select "Something about this Page."
5. Select "Fake Page."
6. Select the option that applies, like "A business."
7. Follow the prompts to submit your report.

For business Pages, include any documentation that proves you own the legitimate business, such as trademark registrations or official business documents. This helps Facebook verify your claim faster.

How to report a profile or page using Facebook's impersonation form

Facebook also provides a dedicated form specifically for reporting impersonation. This is the perfect option for people who don't have a Facebook account.

Here's how to use Facebook's dedicated page for impersonator reports:

1. Head to Facebook's dedicated page for reporting impostors.
2. Select "Someone created an account pretending to be me or a friend."
3. Select "No" to continue with the form.

4. Select whether this account is impersonating you, a friend, or if you are the authorized representative of the person being impersonated (such as a parent or legal guardian).
5. Enter the requested information and click "Send."

What's the easiest and fastest way to find social media impersonators?

Manually searching for impersonators is time-consuming and in some cases, impossible. By the time you discover a fake account, it may have already scammed your customers or damaged your reputation.

That's why the most effective way to find social media impersonators is to use a social media security tool like Spikerz. These platforms monitor for fake accounts around the clock, alerting you the moment someone attempts to impersonate your brand. The good news is that the faster you identify and report a fake account, the less damage it can cause to your business and customers.

Having said that, these tools often do more than just find impersonators. For example, Spikerz protects your social media presence through multiple security layers:

• Hacking protection: Real-time monitoring detects suspicious login attempts and unauthorized access. When threats are detected, the system automatically changes your password and sends you the new credentials.
• Phishing detection: The platform scans messages and comments for dangerous links and phishing attempts, blocking threats before they reach your audience.
• Comment moderation: AI-powered tools identify and remove malicious content across your social media accounts, maintaining a safe environment for your followers.
• Impersonation takedown: Continuous scanning identifies fake accounts using your logos, name, and branding. Spikerz provides detailed guides on reporting these accounts and can assist with taking down stubborn impersonators.
• User access management: Secure multi-user access with role-based permissions that allows for team collaboration and keeps accounts protected. When employees leave, you can quickly revoke their access.

Ready to find impersonators before they find your customers?

Book a consultation to see how automated protection can protect everything you've built.

Conclusion

Facebook impersonation threatens businesses of all sizes. Fake profiles and Pages steal your branding to scam customers, run social engineering attacks, and destroy the trust you've worked hard to build with your audience.

The good news is that you can report these accounts through Facebook's direct reporting tools or their dedicated impersonation form. The platform takes these reports seriously and removes accounts that violate their Community Standards.

To understand what the platform allows and how it handles fake accounts, read our breakdown of Facebook's policies on impersonation.

And for complete protection, use social media security tools that monitor for impersonators automatically. Finding fake accounts early prevents damage rather than just responding to it. So go ahead and start using them right now.