SOS Deepfake
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Help · Fake profile: what to do

A fake profile is pretending to be you. Here is what to do.

Fake accounts, stolen photos, messages sent in your name: online impersonation can be stopped. Here are the right reflexes and the reports to file.

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First reflexes

  1. Warn your contacts from your real account, so they do not reply or send money.
  2. Keep evidence (see below).
  3. Secure your accounts: change your passwords and turn on two-factor authentication. If one of your accounts was hacked, recover it through the platform's official recovery process first.
  4. Make your accounts private while it lasts, to limit new photos being copied.

Keep evidence

  1. Copy the exact address (URL) of every page, post or account involved.
  2. Take a screenshot showing the content, the address and, if possible, the date. Do not download or share the content itself.
  3. Note who posted it: account name, handle, date posted, any useful comments.
  4. Keep any messages if someone contacted you (threats, demands for money). Do not delete them.

How to report on each platform

On other networks, look for “Report” in the profile menu, then the impersonation reason. Most platforms also have a form in their Help Centre that works without an account.

What the law says

Platform rules ban impersonation everywhere, which is why a well-made report usually works without going to court. Legally, it depends on where you are: impersonation may be fraud, harassment or identity theft, and several US states (California, Texas, New York among them) have specific online impersonation offences. In France it is punishable by one year in prison and a €15,000 fine.

Reporting to the police is your right, and it is the only way to have the person behind it identified and prosecuted. It is not required to get content taken down. A lawyer in your country can tell you whether it makes sense in your case, and our evidence file can be attached to your report.

General information, not legal advice. Laws differ from country to country: for advice on your situation, talk to a lawyer where you live.

You do not have to do this alone

We find, capture, report and chase every item for you, then keep watch so it does not come back. Unlimited reports, one subscription.

See pricing

Talk to us in confidence

Tell us what is going on in a few lines. We reply with a free first assessment of what can be done.

  • Reply within 1 business day
  • Strictly confidential
  • No commitment

Never send us an intimate image. A link or a description is enough.

Frequently asked questions

What can happen to the person who made the fake account?
It depends on the country and on what they did with it. Using it to get money is fraud almost everywhere, and many places also punish harassment and impersonation.
Do I need to go to the police to get a fake account removed?
No. A well-made report is usually enough for removal. A police report is what gets the person behind it identified and prosecuted.
There are fake accounts on several networks. What should I do?
Each account and each platform has to be handled, then the ones that come back have to be watched. That is exactly what our subscription covers, with unlimited reports.