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ImpersonationBrand Protection

How to remove fake Instagram and Facebook accounts impersonating your brand or executives

By Bytescare Team Last updated 18 min read
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Bytescare guide title card: How to remove fake Instagram and Facebook accounts impersonating your brand or executives

Report an impostor from the fake profile or Page itself, as an account pretending to be someone else. Without an account, use Instagram's impersonation form, which also covers Threads, or Facebook's impostor form; both need an ID and act only on reports from the person impersonated or their authorised representative. If the account uses your registered trademark in its name, username, profile picture or bio, the rights owner or its agent can file Meta's trademark report forms, and trademark owners can apply for Brand Rights Protection to find and report impersonating accounts. Meta decides on each report and allows clearly labelled fan and parody accounts; in India, its Grievance Officer must act on impersonation complaints within deadlines set by the IT Rules, 2021.

Key takeaways

  • In the Instagram app, report the account as "pretending to be someone else" and say whom it imitates: you, someone you follow, a celebrity or public figure, or a business or organisation. On Facebook, use Report profile or Report Page under the cover photo. Instagram does not take impersonation reports about an account that only misrepresents itself.
  • Meta's trademark forms take one registered trademark and up to 30 links per report, and the person reported is given the rights owner's name and your email address. Brand Rights Protection, for approved owners of an active registered trademark, takes impersonation reports once one of your own accounts is on its allow list.
  • Fan, parody and commentary accounts are allowed if they say they are unofficial, at minimum in the account name; accounts that use your name, photos or likeness to deceive break Meta's rules.
  • The Meta help pages cited here give no timeline for deciding impersonation reports. In India, under the IT Rules as amended from 20 February 2026, Grievance Officers must acknowledge complaints within 24 hours and resolve them within seven days, or within 36 hours for requests to remove impersonating content; on an individual's complaint about being impersonated, the platform must act within two hours.
  • Where an impostor cheats people, sections 66C and 66D of the IT Act and sections 318 and 319 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita can apply: report it at cybercrime.gov.in or on 1930, and take legal steps through independent counsel.

Before you report: what to collect

Collect the following before you file, and report the account rather than messaging or confronting it.

  • A link to each fake account, with its username. Instagram's form takes one account per report; Facebook's asks for the profile link and any email address or phone number shown on it.1,2
  • Proof of identity. Links to the real accounts and, for a person, a photo ID; Facebook lists Aadhaar (or e-Aadhaar) and PAN cards among the government IDs it accepts. Both platforms let you physically cover details they don't need, such as ID numbers, before you take the photo, but don't accept photos digitally edited to hide information, and both ask for only the documents required, as extra ones can delay the review.3,4
  • Trademark details, if the account uses your brand: where the mark is registered, its registration number and a link to it in an online trademark database or the certificate, and proof that you may act for the owner.5,6
  • Dated evidence. Screenshots or PDF captures of the profile, posts, ads and any messages or payment requests sent to customers, saved first: once Meta removes content, you can no longer see it on Facebook or Instagram.7 If you may rely on them in an Indian court, ask independent counsel about the certificate that section 63 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023, which replaced the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, requires for electronic records.8
  • A check that it really is fake. Rule out accounts you have authorised, such as a reseller's or an agency's, and your own hacked account, which goes through account recovery instead.1,9
  • A tracking sheet recording, for each account, when it was found, the route used, any report or ticket number and the outcome.

Platform by platform: where to report and what happens next

Meta's rules ban impersonating a person or an entity by using their images, name or likeness to deceive, or by speaking in their voice without authorisation. They allow fan, parody, satire, commentary and opinion accounts that make their unofficial status abundantly clear, at minimum in the account name.10

Instagram

In the app, open the profile, tap the options button next to the username, then Report, Report account and "It's pretending to be someone else", and choose who is being imitated: you, someone you follow, a celebrity or public figure, or a business or organisation.11 Its impersonation reports cover accounts impersonating someone or something, not accounts misrepresenting themselves; where a fake account uses your brand name or logo and it is a registered trademark, the rights owner can also use the trademark route below.5,11

Without an account, or to report for someone you are authorised to represent, use the form Report an Impersonation Account on Instagram or Threads. It asks for your name, email address and relationship to the person impersonated; that person's name and, if they have one, their Instagram or Threads username; the name and username on the fake account; and a photo of the impersonated person holding their ID. It takes one account per report, and the form explains how long Instagram keeps the ID you upload.1 Instagram acts on these reports only from the person impersonated or their representative, such as a parent, and reports are anonymous unless they concern intellectual property.9 Its terms let Instagram change a username that infringes someone's intellectual property or impersonates another user.12

What happens next. You may be able to follow a report in Support Requests, see the decision and, where offered, request another review, which Instagram says usually happens within 24 hours. Some decisions can then be appealed to the Oversight Board.13,14

Facebook profiles and Pages

Facebook says profiles and Pages that impersonate other people go against its Community Standards and can be reported even without a Facebook account. On the fake profile or Page, click the options button below the cover photo, select Report profile or Report Page and follow the prompts.15

With no account, or no access to yours, use the impostor report form. It asks for your name and email address, the name on the impostor profile, any email address or phone number listed on it, its link, and your ID or that of the person you represent. On this form, Facebook acts only on reports from the person impersonated or their authorised representative, such as a parent or legal guardian, and may keep the ID for up to a year to improve its detection of fake IDs unless you turn that off in your Identity Confirmation Settings.2

For businesses, Meta's Business Help Centre says it will remove accounts that falsely claim to represent your official presence, but that fan Pages and opinion accounts generally don't violate its Community Standards.16

What happens next. Your Support Inbox may show the report's status and the decision, lets you request a review where offered, and lets you cancel a report until it has been reviewed.17

Threads

If you have a Threads profile, you can report a profile for pretending to be someone else from the options on that profile, and afterwards you may be able to check the report's status or appeal the decision.18 Instagram's impersonation form covers Threads accounts, and its trademark form covers Threads profiles.1,5

When the account uses your trademark

When a fake account copies your brand's name or logo and that name or logo is a registered trademark, the rights owner, or someone authorised to report for it such as a lawyer or agent, can use Meta's trademark report forms for Instagram and Threads and for Facebook.5,6,19

  • What they ask for. One registered trademark per report, with where it is registered, its registration number and a link to it in an online trademark database (or the certificate); up to 30 links; the reason "The rights owner's trademark is used in the profile picture, name, username or bio"; and a declaration of good faith and, under penalty of perjury, of your authority to act for the owner.5,6 Instagram also asks for your full contact details and the goods or services for which you claim rights.20
  • Who sees it. Meta regularly gives the person reported the rights owner's name, your email address and the details of the report, so use a generic business email address.20,21
  • What happens next. Instagram says an automated email gives you a unique report number, and that it may ask you for more information.21
  • Limits. Instagram says it can't adjudicate disputes between third parties, so it isn't in a position to act on reports that need an in-depth trademark analysis; that usernames are generally claimed first come, first served; and that not every use of a trademark in a username infringes it. It calls a trademark report a serious matter with potential legal consequences, so if you are unsure whether a use infringes, check with independent counsel first.19,22 Abuse of the forms may lead to the termination of your own account.5,6

Brand Rights Protection and Meta Verified

Brand Rights Protection is Meta's tool for brands to find and report counterfeits, trademark and copyright infringement and business impersonation on Facebook and Instagram, including Pages, profiles and Instagram accounts.23 Applicants need a business portfolio in Meta Business Suite, an active registered trademark and no history of intellectual property violations, and the person applying must be an employee.24 Once approved, you can search for content and accounts by keyword, URL or ID and save the searches you run regularly. To report impersonation, you add at least one of your own accounts to the allow list, then select the account the fake one imitates; the option exists only for accounts.25,26 Each takedown request gets a confirmation email, and the Reports tab shows whether each item is in review, rejected or taken down.7,26

Meta Verified for businesses, a paid subscription, includes impersonation protection: Meta says it monitors other accounts for anyone pretending to be you and removes those it decides are impersonating you. The Premium and Max plans extend it to two and five selected employees who complete individual verification, and plans and availability may vary by region.27 Executives can also get impersonation protection on their personal Instagram and Facebook accounts through Meta Verified for creators, where eligible.28

Where to report an impostor, route by route (checked 13 October 2026):

Route Use it for Who can file What you need
In-app report (Instagram, Threads, Facebook) Any fake profile, Page or account Anyone with an account The fake profile; report it as pretending to be someone else
Instagram impersonation form (covers Threads) A person impersonated, when you have no account or report for someone you represent The person, or an authorised representative Photo of the person holding their ID; names and usernames of both accounts; one account per report
Facebook impostor form A person impersonated, with no account or no access to it The person, or an authorised representative ID; link to the fake profile; its name and any contact details shown
Trademark forms (Instagram and Threads; Facebook) Accounts using your registered mark in their name, username, picture or bio The rights owner or an authorised agent One registered mark per report with its registration details; up to 30 links; signed declaration
Brand Rights Protection Finding and reporting impersonating accounts at volume Approved businesses with an active registered trademark IP reviewer role; an official account on the allow list
Meta's India Grievance Officer Complaints by users or victims in India; appeal to the Grievance Appellate Committee Users or victims, or someone on an individual's behalf Meta's form, signed electronically; keep any ticket number

In India: Meta's Grievance Officer and the law

Meta's help pages say the report links are the quickest route, but users and victims in India can also complain to the Grievance Officer for Facebook and Instagram through Meta's form, signed with an electronic signature; the published email address is only for questions about the grievance process.29,30

The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 require platforms to make reasonable efforts to stop users sharing information that impersonates another person.31 The rules have been amended in 2022, 2023, October 2025 and February 2026; the timelines below are those in force since 20 February 2026.31,32

  • Acknowledgement and resolution. The Grievance Officer must acknowledge a complaint within 24 hours and resolve it within seven days (15 days before the 2026 amendment).31,32
  • 36 hours for impersonation. A request to remove content that impersonates another person must be resolved within 36 hours (previously 72). Intellectual property complaints, trademark ones included, are excluded from this track, so seven days applies to them.31,32
  • Two hours for an individual. On a complaint by an individual, or someone on their behalf, about content that is prima facie impersonation of them in electronic form, including artificially morphed images, the platform must take all reasonable and practicable measures to remove or disable it within two hours (previously 24).31,32
  • Ticket numbers. Significant social media intermediaries, those with more than 50 lakh registered users in India, must give every complaint a unique ticket number and, as far as reasonable, reasons for the action they take or don't take.31,33
  • Appeal. If you disagree with the Grievance Officer's decision, or the complaint isn't resolved in time, you can appeal online to a Grievance Appellate Committee at gac.gov.in within 30 days of receiving the Grievance Officer's communication, but only after contacting the Grievance Officer. The Committee endeavours to decide within 30 calendar days and platforms must comply with its orders; it does not handle financial fraud or cybercrime, which it directs to 1930 and cybercrime.gov.in.31,34
  • Records and court orders. Content removed on a complaint must be preserved, with its records, for 180 days for investigation, and unlawful information must be removed or disabled within three hours of a court order.31,32

Impersonation can also be a crime. Which provisions apply depends on the facts, so take advice from independent counsel:

  • IT Act, 2000, section 66C (identity theft): fraudulently or dishonestly using another person's electronic signature, password or other unique identification feature; up to three years' imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹1 lakh.35
  • Section 66D: cheating by personation by means of a communication device or computer resource; up to three years and a fine of up to ₹1 lakh.35
  • Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, section 319 (cheating by personation): cheating by pretending to be someone else, real or imaginary; up to five years, a fine, or both. Section 318 (cheating): up to three years, a fine or both, or up to seven years and a fine where the person deceived is dishonestly induced to deliver property. The Sanhita replaced the Indian Penal Code on 1 July 2024.36,37

Complaints can be filed on the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, cybercrime.gov.in, set up as part of the Ministry of Home Affairs' Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre; the police of the state or union territory concerned handle them, including any conversion into an FIR. The toll-free helpline 1930 advises victims on reporting identity theft and financial fraud.38

A profile that Meta has removed can still appear in Google results while the page description or cache is out of date; Google's Refresh Outdated Content tool asks it to update the result.39 If a result exposes an executive's personal phone number, email address or home address, the person or a representative can ask Google to remove it from Search, for example through the "Results about you" tool, and other content may be removable under local law through Google's Legal Help Center. Google removes results only from Search; the page stays on the site that hosts it.40

When reports aren't enough

Meta declines your report

Request a review from Support Requests on Instagram and Threads, or from the Support Inbox on Facebook, where the option is offered.13,17,18 If the account uses your registered trademark, file a trademark report as well.5,6 In India, go next to Meta's Grievance Officer and then the Grievance Appellate Committee.

The impostor keeps coming back

Meta's Account Integrity policy says it may restrict or disable accounts created or repurposed to evade an earlier removal, including those it assesses as having the same owner and content as accounts it removed before.41 Keep the evidence and report numbers for every removed account, so that a new report can point to the earlier ones.

Customers were cheated, or you need to know who runs the account

Meta's help pages route requests for an impostor's account information through legal channels. Instagram says it may provide basic subscriber information, not content, only on a valid subpoena or court order and after notice to the account holders affected, and only for an account identified by username, profile URL and relevant date.42 Facebook asks people who want data from an account that impersonated them to go through a lawyer or local law enforcement, who contact Meta under its operational guidelines.43 Under the IT Rules, platforms must give information to lawfully authorised government agencies within 72 hours of a written order, including for investigating offences.31 If customers have lost money, file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930, and take any civil or criminal action through independent counsel.38 Tracing who is behind an account is a separate question from removing it; see Can a fake Facebook profile be traced?

Doing this at scale

For a single fake profile, the steps above are manageable by hand. For a consumer brand, a media house or a company with well-known leaders, impostors can return under new names, and the work becomes a cycle: search, capture evidence, report in each platform's format, follow up refusals and check for new accounts.

  • Keep a register of official accounts: the brand's handles and Pages and the executives' own accounts. Brand Rights Protection needs at least one of your accounts on its allow list before it takes impersonation reports.26
  • Batch where you can. A trademark report carries up to 30 links for one mark, while Instagram's impersonation form takes one account per report.1,5
  • Track every report: trademark report numbers, grievance ticket numbers, and your Brand Rights Protection report history, which exports as a CSV file.7,21,31

Bytescare's fake profile and impersonation service runs this cycle for brands and their leaders: monitoring on your plan's scan cycle, the reports you approve, filed in each platform's format and tracked to a decision, and, if you choose, a complaint pack for the police or legal escalation through independent counsel. Each platform decides on removal. Our fake profile and impersonation service page explains how. This guide is general information, not legal advice. Bytescare is not a law firm; for a specific dispute, consult independent counsel.

FAQs

Where is Instagram's official impersonation report form?

It is "Report an Impersonation Account on Instagram or Threads", at help.instagram.com/contact/636276399721841. Use it if you have no Instagram account or are reporting for someone you are authorised to represent; otherwise, report from the profile in the app. It needs a photo of the impersonated person holding their ID and takes one account per report. If the account uses your registered trademark, the rights owner or its agent can also use Instagram's trademark report form.

How do I report a Facebook Page pretending to be my business?

On the Page, click the options button below the cover photo, select Report Page and follow the prompts; you can report impersonating Pages even without a Facebook account. If the Page uses your registered trademark in its name, username, profile picture or bio, the rights owner or its agent can also use Facebook's trademark report form, with up to 30 links per mark. Meta decides on each report.

Can our company report an account impersonating our CEO?

Anyone with an account can report it in the app, choosing the option that fits, such as a celebrity or public figure. Meta's forms for people without an account act only on reports from the person impersonated or their authorised representative, with ID, so the executive files those or authorises someone to. In India, the executive, or someone on their behalf, can complain to Meta's Grievance Officer, and the IT Rules require action within two hours on content that is prima facie impersonation of them. Meta Verified's Premium and Max business plans also extend impersonation protection to selected employees.

How long does Meta take to remove a fake account?

The Meta help pages cited in this guide give no timeline for deciding impersonation reports, and Meta decides on each one. If you ask Instagram to review a decision, it says the review usually happens within 24 hours. In India, the IT Rules set deadlines for complaints to the Grievance Officer: acknowledgement within 24 hours and resolution within seven days, 36 hours for requests to remove content that impersonates another person, and two hours for an individual's complaint about being impersonated.

Is a fan or parody account impersonation?

Not if it is open about being unofficial. Meta allows fan, parody, satire, commentary and opinion accounts that make their unofficial status abundantly clear, at minimum in the account name; accounts that don't may be restricted or removed. Accounts that use your name, photos or likeness to deceive, or speak in your voice without authorisation, are impersonation under Meta's rules.

Is a fake profile of a person or company a crime in India?

It can be, depending on what it is used for. The IT Act punishes identity theft (section 66C) and cheating by personation using a computer resource (section 66D) with up to three years' imprisonment and a fine of up to ₹1 lakh, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita punishes cheating by personation (section 319) with up to five years. Report it at cybercrime.gov.in or on 1930, and consult independent counsel before any legal step.

Further reading

Sources

  1. Report an Impersonation Account on Instagram or Threads (contact form) · Instagram Help Center · accessed 2026-10-13
  2. Report an impostor account (contact form) · Facebook Help Centre · accessed 2026-10-13
  3. Types of IDs that Facebook accepts · Facebook Help Centre · accessed 2026-10-13
  4. Types of ID Instagram accepts · Instagram Help Center · accessed 2026-10-13
  5. Trademark Report Form (Instagram and Threads) · Instagram Help Center · accessed 2026-10-13
  6. Trademark Report Form (Facebook) · Facebook Help Centre · accessed 2026-10-13
  7. Track reports in Brand Rights Protection · Meta Business Help Centre · accessed 2026-10-13
  8. The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (Act 47 of 2023) · Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India · accessed 2026-10-13
  9. Report an account that's impersonating you on Instagram · Instagram Help Center · accessed 2026-10-13
  10. Authentic Identity Representation (Community Standards; change log to 11 September 2026) · Meta Transparency Center · accessed 2026-10-13
  11. Report an account for impersonation · Instagram Help Center · accessed 2026-10-13
  12. Terms of Use · Instagram Help Center · accessed 2026-10-13
  13. Check the status of something you've reported to Instagram · Instagram Help Center · accessed 2026-10-13
  14. What to do if Instagram didn't remove content you reported · Instagram Help Center · accessed 2026-10-13
  15. Report a Facebook profile or Page pretending to be you or someone else · Facebook Help Centre · accessed 2026-10-13
  16. How do I report an impostor account? · Meta Business Help Centre · accessed 2026-10-13
  17. Can I check the status of something I've reported to Facebook or cancel a report? · Facebook Help Centre · accessed 2026-10-13
  18. Report content on Threads · Instagram Help Center (Threads) · accessed 2026-10-13
  19. How to report trademark infringement on Instagram or Threads · Instagram Help Center · accessed 2026-10-13
  20. Information you need to include in a trademark report on Instagram or Threads · Instagram Help Center · accessed 2026-10-13
  21. What happens when you submit a trademark report to Instagram or Threads · Instagram Help Center · accessed 2026-10-13
  22. How to report a username on Instagram or Threads for infringing my trademark · Instagram Help Center · accessed 2026-10-13
  23. About Brand Rights Protection · Meta Business Help Centre · accessed 2026-10-13
  24. Apply for Brand Rights Protection · Meta Business Help Centre · accessed 2026-10-13
  25. Search for content and accounts in Brand Rights Protection · Meta Business Help Centre · accessed 2026-10-13
  26. Send a takedown request in Brand Rights Protection · Meta Business Help Centre · accessed 2026-10-13
  27. About Meta Verified subscription benefits for businesses · Meta Business Help Centre · accessed 2026-10-13
  28. Meta Verified benefits for creators · Instagram Help Center · accessed 2026-10-13
  29. Contact the Grievance Officer and Facebook in India · Facebook Help Centre · accessed 2026-10-13
  30. How to contact the Grievance Officer and Meta in India · Instagram Help Center · accessed 2026-10-13
  31. The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 [updated 10.02.2026, Corrigenda 26.02.2026] · Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India · accessed 2026-10-13
  32. Frequently Asked Questions on the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2026 (10 February 2026) · Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India · accessed 2026-10-13
  33. Notification S.O. 942(E): threshold for significant social media intermediaries (25 February 2021) · Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India · accessed 2026-10-13
  34. Grievance Appellate Committee portal · Grievance Appellate Committee, Government of India (hosted by NIC) · accessed 2026-10-13
  35. The Information Technology Act, 2000 (India Code consolidated text; sections 66C and 66D are not amended by the Jan Vishwas Acts of 2023 and 2026) · India Code, Legislative Department, Government of India · accessed 2026-10-13
  36. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Act 45 of 2023, Gazette of India, 25 December 2023) · Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India · accessed 2026-10-13
  37. Notification S.O. 850(E): commencement of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (23 February 2024) · Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India · accessed 2026-10-13
  38. 'National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal' enables public to report incidents of cyber-crimes (18 December 2024) · Press Information Bureau, Government of India · accessed 2026-10-13
  39. Refresh outdated content · Google Search Help · accessed 2026-10-13
  40. Remove my private info from Google Search · Google Search Help · accessed 2026-10-13
  41. Account Integrity (Community Standards; change log to 28 May 2026) · Meta Transparency Center · accessed 2026-10-13
  42. Obtaining information about someone's Instagram account · Instagram Help Center · accessed 2026-10-13
  43. How to request information about an account that was impersonating you on Facebook · Facebook Help Centre · accessed 2026-10-13

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Bytescare is not a law firm; for a specific dispute, consult independent counsel. Platform procedures change; we last checked every source on 13 October 2026.

How this was made: researched and drafted with Claude from the platforms' own help pages and forms, the statutes and the official notices listed above, then checked by a second Claude pass that re-opened every source (58 claims and 43 source entries checked on 13 October 2026; 16 corrections applied). Edited by the Bytescare Team. Corrections since publication: none.

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