Multiple Faces Detected
May 8th, 2021
“Someone is impersonating me on Facebook. What should I do?” Famous or not, you may just be a victim of an individual using your name and photos on Facebook. Before they can use your personal information against you and use the fake profile to scam others, you should report the account using the platform itself. However, there are other steps you can take when someone impersonates you on Facebook.
Keep reading as we help you combat these Facebook impersonators.
What To Do If Someone Is Impersonating Me On Facebook
Before you say, “Someone is impersonating me on Facebook,” you need to first find out if it’s true. Your friends may inform you that they’ve seen another Facebook profile using your name and photo, and even sending them friend requests. If that’s the case, tell them immediately to report the account.
You can also perform a Google search and enter your name. If you see a Facebook profile that is using your pictures and other personal information, then you just found your impersonator. In the search results, you may see links for two or more separate Facebook profiles using your name. Click these links to see the impersonator’s profile.
Reporting the Impersonation on Facebook
Victims of Facebook impersonation scams have lost around $1.2 million. Thus, when someone impersonates you on Facebook, send a report immediately. You can do so via the platform itself, fill out a form, or file a complaint to the Federal Trade Commission.
Reporting via Facebook
Given that you have a Facebook account and you discovered someone is impersonating you, perform the following:
- Open Facebook and go to the profile impersonating you. Now, if you’re unable to find it, search for the name used on the account. You can also ask your friends to send you a link to the account.
- Click the three dots on the impersonator’s cover photo. Then, select Find Support or Report Profile.
- Simply follow the instructions provided for impersonation.
Filling Out a Form
In case you haven’t set up your own Facebook account, you can still report the impersonation. Simply fill out a form provided by Facebook. Here, you will have to give your full name, email, and URL to the impostor’s Facebook profile.
To confirm your identity, upload a picture of yourself holding a valid identification card. Make sure that your face and that on the ID card are clear. Once done, simply hit send, and Facebook will investigate the account and take it down after a few hours.
Reporting to Federal Trade Commission
File a report to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) if someone is impersonating you on Facebook while stealing personal information and taking money from people. Simply visit their website and select Report Now. Then, fill out the form provided and choose the option for impersonation.
Provide details that will help with the investigation, including the URL used. The agency will inform you about the next steps and send a report to the FBI. In case they have further questions, they may contact you.
Putting a Watermark on My Photos
By putting watermarks of your username or name on your photos, you prevent others from stealing your photos. This is because when other people were to see your watermarked photos on someone else’s profile, it will have a watermark stating the true username of who the photos actually belong to.
However, you should be careful as to where you put the watermark on the photo. Put the watermark in the center of your photo if you can. If you put the watermark toward the edges of the photo, it could be easily cropped out by the scammer so that they can still use your photo.
Social Catfish is Here to Help You!
At Social Catfish, we want to help you verify the identities of those who might seem suspicious to you. If you have their name, email address, phone number, social media username, or image, you can reverse search and see who the suspected person was that you’ve been in contact with after reading about “What To Do If Someone Is Impersonating Me On Facebook.” If you were involved in a scam, make sure to report it to the FTC as well. If you were involved in a scam, make sure to report it to the FTC as well.
