Hacked and Fake Accounts
Your account should represent you, and only you should have access to your account. If someone gains access to your account, or creates an account to pretend to be you or someone else, we want to help. We also encourage you to let us know about accounts that represent fake or fictional people, pets, celebrities or organizations.
Hacked Accounts
If you think your account has been hacked or taken over, you'll want to secure it as soon as possible. We can help you secure your account by requiring you to change your password and review recent login activity.
Your account may have been hacked if you notice:
- Your email or password has been changed
- Your name or birthday has been changed
- Friend requests have been sent to people you don't know
- Messages have been sent that you didn't write
- Posts have been made that you didn't create
You can also review these tools and tips to help keep your account safe. You may also want to learn how to protect yourself against malicious software that can potentially compromise your account.
If your friend can't get into their account because it was taken over by someone else, please show them the Hacked Accounts section of the Help Center so we can help.
If your friend is medically incapacitated and unable to use Facebook, we might be able to help you remove their account. If your friend's condition is reversible, we can deactivate the account instead of deleting it. That way, when this person recovers they can log back in and reopen the account.
If your friend passed away, please report their profile to be memorialized. Memorializing an account helps keep it secure by preventing anyone from logging into it.
Impersonation Accounts
If you have a Facebook account and want to report someone that's pretending to be you or someone you know:
- Go to the profile of the impersonating account
- If you can't find it, try searching for the name used on the profile or asking your friends if they can send you a link to it.
- Click
on the cover photo and select Report - Follow the on-screen instructions for impersonation to file a report
If you don't have a Facebook account and want to report someone that's pretending to be you or someone you know, please fill out this form.
Accounts that impersonate other people aren't allowed on Facebook. If someone created an account pretending to be you:
- Go to the profile that's impersonating you
- If you can't find it, try searching for the name used on the profile or asking your friends if they can send you a link to it.
- Click on the cover photo and select Report
- Follow the on-screen instructions for impersonation
If you don't have a Facebook account, you can report an impostor account by filling out this form.
If you'd like to request a copy of data that was posted to an account impersonating you, you should first contact a lawyer or your local law enforcement agency and discuss this issue with them.
If you decide to pursue legal action, we recommend having the lawyer or officer review our operational guidelines and contact us by following the directions listed there. Once they contact us, we'll be able to communicate with them regarding this issue. Please be aware that there are situations where we may be unable to retrieve the information you have requested due to technical limitations.
Fake Accounts
A fake account is an account where someone is not representing their authentic self. Fake accounts can include accounts for fake or made up people, pets, celebrities, or organizations. To report a fake account:
- Go to the profile of the fake account
- If you can't find it, try searching for the name used on the profile or asking your friends if they can send you a link to it.
- Click on the cover photo and select Report
- Follow the on-screen instructions for fake accounts to file a report