Report the specific account, post, video, image, message, or profile through the platform’s current in-app reporting flow. For an impersonating account, open its profile and choose the option for pretending to be someone else. For a deepfake or other manipulated media, report the individual item and explain who or what it falsely represents and the harm it could cause. Save the exact username, URL, screenshots, and report confirmation first. If your own Facebook account was taken over, use account recovery at facebook.com/hacked instead of treating the takeover only as impersonation.
Instagram may accept a report even from someone without an Instagram account. Facebook lets you review report decisions in Support Inbox and, when the decision offers it, request another review. A report does not guarantee removal: Meta may label some AI-generated or manipulated media with “AI info” and context when it does not otherwise violate its rules.
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Choose the right route before you report
The fastest way to get a useful review is to match the report to the problem. An account that copies a person’s name and photos is different from a genuine account that was hacked, and a deceptive video is different from an entire profile pretending to be someone else.
| What you are seeing | Where to report | What to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| A profile or account pretending to be a person, business, or public figure | That profile’s report menu on Instagram or Facebook | Profile link, exact username, the identity being copied, and a brief explanation |
| A single deepfake, altered image, synthetic voice, or misleading video | The post, Reel, Story, video, image, or other item’s report menu | Item link, screenshots, what is false or manipulated, and the real-world harm |
| A person pretending to be someone else in Messenger | The conversation’s Privacy & support menu | Conversation details and the profile or message involved |
| Your own Facebook account is inaccessible or controlled by someone else | Facebook’s hacked-account recovery route | A device previously used to sign in and any account-recovery information |
| You already reported Facebook content and received a decision | Support Inbox | The decision notice and any available request-for-another-review option |
Do not file only a general complaint if the harmful item is still available. Open the exact profile or content and report it there so reviewers can locate the material you mean.
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How to report an impersonating account on Instagram
Report from the profile
- Open the profile that appears to be pretending to be you or another person.
- Tap the profile’s options menu and choose the current report option.
- Select the category for an account pretending to be someone else, or the closest wording currently shown.
- Follow the prompts to identify who is being impersonated and submit the report.
Instagram changes menu labels and available paths periodically. Use the options currently displayed in your app rather than relying on an old screenshot or a remembered label.
Include locating details
Instagram’s published guidance asks for as much useful information as possible. Include the exact username, a link to the profile, and a concise description of what is being copied. Explain whether the account uses your name, photographs, biography, business identity, or other identifying details, and describe any attempted fraud, harassment, or safety risk. If the report concerns another person, state that person’s identity only when you have a legitimate reason to do so.
If you do not have an Instagram account
Instagram’s guidance says that a person without an Instagram account may still submit an impersonation report. Use the available reporting form or help route shown by Instagram, provide the profile link and username, and describe the impersonation in factual terms. Because an off-platform form may ask for contact or identity information, submit only through an official Instagram page and keep a copy of the confirmation.
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- Open the specific post, Reel, Story, video, or image rather than reporting only the creator’s profile.
- Use the item’s options menu and select the current report command.
- Choose the category that best describes the violation, such as deception, fraud, harassment, privacy, or another applicable rule.
- In the explanation, say what appears synthetic or altered, whose identity or likeness is being misrepresented, and why viewers could be misled or harmed.
- Submit the report and save the item link, screenshots, and any confirmation screen.
A manipulated item may violate a rule even when the account itself is genuine. Reporting the item gives Instagram a specific piece of media to evaluate and helps distinguish a single altered post from a broader impersonation campaign.
How to report an impersonating profile or post on Facebook
Report a profile
- Open the profile that appears to be impersonating a person or organization.
- Choose the profile’s options menu and select Report profile, or the current equivalent.
- Select the impersonation category and complete the prompts.
- Provide the profile URL, exact name or username, the person or entity being copied, and a short description of the evidence.
Report a post, image, or video
- Open the individual post or media item.
- Use its options menu and select Report post, Report photo, Report video, or the current equivalent.
- Choose the reason that best matches the deception or harm.
- Describe the manipulation and include facts that help a reviewer understand why it is misleading.
- Submit the report and record the confirmation.
Facebook’s interface can differ between the main app, mobile browser, and desktop site. The names may also change as Facebook updates its reporting flow; follow the path presented on the screen.
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How to report impersonation in Messenger
When the problem appears in a Messenger conversation, report the conversation or person from Messenger rather than forwarding the material and hoping it is reviewed elsewhere.
- Open the conversation.
- Open Privacy & support.
- Choose Report.
- Select the option for someone pretending to be someone else, or the closest current wording.
- Complete the prompts. Messenger’s help instructions direct impersonation cases to Facebook’s reporting and Help Center processes.
Preserve the conversation’s participant name, profile link, message timestamps, and screenshots before blocking or deleting anything. If the messages request money, passwords, verification codes, or urgent action, do not comply while the report is pending.
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Platforms can remove, rename, or hide material after a report. Capture enough information to identify it without redistributing harmful content.
- Exact identifiers: username, display name, profile URL, post URL, and the date and time you saw it.
- Visual evidence: screenshots showing the account name, profile picture, caption, and the manipulated item. Include the surrounding interface when it establishes where the content appeared.
- Factual explanation: who is being impersonated, what is false or altered, and the concrete risk—such as financial fraud, reputational damage, harassment, or exposure of private information.
- Report records: confirmation screens, reference numbers, emails, and the date submitted.
- Related material: links to additional posts or accounts only when they show the same impersonation or help establish the pattern.
Do not edit screenshots in a way that removes usernames, timestamps, or URLs. Store copies privately and avoid reposting intimate, sexual, or otherwise harmful deepfake material while trying to warn others.
What happens after a Facebook report
Check Support Inbox
Facebook sends report notifications and decisions to Support Inbox. Open Support Inbox from Facebook’s help or account menu and look for the report entry. The decision may say that content was removed, left up, restricted, or handled under another policy. The exact wording depends on the content and the policy category.
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Request another review when offered
Some decisions include an option to request another review. Use the link or button in that decision message inside Support Inbox and add any material fact that was missing from the first report. Meta says this additional review is usually completed within 24 hours after the request. That estimate applies to the eligible second-review route; it is not a promised response time for an initial impersonation or deepfake report.
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If no second-review option appears, the decision may not be eligible for that route. Keep the notice for your records and use the report flow for any separate, newly posted item rather than repeatedly submitting the same report without new information.
Why a deepfake may receive a label instead of removal
Meta’s published policy announcement dated April 5, 2024 and updated July 1, 2024 describes an approach across Facebook, Instagram, and Threads that distinguishes labeling from removal. Meta said it can add an “AI info” label to broader categories of image, video, and audio when it detects industry-standard indicators of AI generation or when the uploader discloses that the content was made with AI.
The same announcement says manipulated media that does not otherwise violate Community Standards may remain available so Meta can add labels and context. In other words, an AI label is not a finding that the content is harmless, and it is not the same as deletion. Report the specific item under the rule that the deception or harm may violate, explain the real-world consequences, and then check the decision.
“We agree with the Oversight Board’s recommendation that providing transparency and additional context is now the better way to address manipulated media and avoid the risk of unnecessarily restricting freedom of speech, so we’ll keep this content on our platforms so we can add labels and context.”
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Monika Bickert, Meta vice president of content policy, Meta Newsroom announcement, April 5, 2024 (updated July 1, 2024)
That policy description is dated. Labels, categories, and enforcement criteria can change, so use the current report choices shown in the app and describe the facts rather than assuming that the word “deepfake” automatically triggers removal.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Impersonation versus a hacked account
An imposter account
An imposter account is a separate profile or page using another person’s identity. Report the profile through Instagram or Facebook’s impersonation category, and report individual scam posts or messages as separate content when appropriate.
Your own account was taken over
If you can no longer control your own Facebook account, change the problem from “someone is pretending to be me” to “my account was hacked.” Facebook directs hacked-account users to facebook.com/hacked and recommends starting from a device previously used to log in. Account recovery can restore control, secure the login, and address unauthorized changes; an impersonation report alone cannot do those things.
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After recovery, review recent sessions, email addresses, phone numbers, administrator roles, connected apps, and posts. Change the password to a unique one and enable the strongest available sign-in protection. If the attacker has posted scams, report each harmful post as well as completing recovery.
How to describe harm without weakening your report
Reviewers need verifiable facts, not a long argument. A useful description answers four questions:
- What is the identity claim? State the real person, business, or organization being represented.
- What proves the claim is false? Point to copied photos, a fabricated voice, altered video, false biography, or unauthorized use of a name.
- What could happen? Explain the specific risk, such as a request for money, theft of login credentials, harassment, defamation, or exposure of private images.
- Where is the evidence? Provide the exact profile or content link and identify the relevant screenshot or message.
Avoid exaggerating, guessing who created the account, or submitting personal documents unless the official form specifically requests them. False or speculative details make it harder to separate the reportable behavior from opinion.
Safety steps while a report is pending
- Block or restrict the account after saving identifiers if continued contact is unsafe.
- Tell potential targets through a trusted channel, using a link and a factual warning rather than reposting the deepfake.
- Do not click links, send money, reveal passwords, or share one-time codes in response to the impersonator.
- Secure email and social accounts that share a password, beginning with the email account used for recovery.
- For threats, extortion, non-consensual intimate imagery, or immediate danger, preserve evidence and contact appropriate local law-enforcement or emergency services.
Platform reporting addresses a platform rule. It does not replace urgent safety, legal, or financial-fraud assistance when the conduct has moved beyond the app.
Optional support and newer assistance features
Meta Verified
Meta describes Meta Verified as a paid subscription that can include impersonation protection and enhanced support, subject to eligibility and availability. It is optional and is not stated to be required for filing a report, guaranteed to remove content, or a substitute for the normal reporting and recovery routes.
AI support assistant rollout
In a March 2026 announcement, Meta said an in-app AI support assistant was rolling out for support topics that include reporting impersonation and problematic content. Access can vary during the rollout. If the assistant appears in your app, use it to locate the current help path, but still report the actual profile or item and save its identifiers. An assistant’s availability does not change the need to use account recovery when your own account was taken over.
Quick Recap
Common reporting mistakes and their fixes
| Mistake | Why it causes trouble | Better approach |
|---|---|---|
| Reporting only the creator when one specific video is deceptive | The review may not identify the exact media or claim | Report the individual video or post and explain the manipulation |
| Calling every altered image a policy violation | Some manipulated media may be labeled rather than removed | Describe the applicable deception, privacy, harassment, fraud, or safety harm |
| Using an impersonation report for a hacked account | It does not restore access or secure the real account | Start account recovery at facebook.com/hacked from a previously used device |
| Leaving out the username or link | Reviewers have less information to locate the material | Copy exact identifiers before submitting |
| Expecting an immediate decision | Initial review timing is not guaranteed | Save the confirmation and check Facebook Support Inbox for a decision |
| Submitting repeated identical reports | Duplicates add little information | Use the offered second-review route or submit a new report only when new content or facts exist |
Quick decision checklist
- Is it a separate account pretending to be someone? Report the profile under impersonation.
- Is one post, image, audio clip, or video manipulated? Report that item and explain the deception and harm.
- Did the incident occur in Messenger? Use Privacy & support, then Report.
- Can you no longer access your own Facebook account? Use facebook.com/hacked from a previously used device.
- Have you received a Facebook decision? Open Support Inbox and request another review if the decision provides that option.
- Did the platform add an AI label? Treat the label as context, not proof that the content was removed or that the underlying claim is true.
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