Short answer
Open the fake profile, tap ••• → Report and choose that the account is pretending to be someone — then select Me. If you have no Instagram account, represent the person or business being impersonated, or the in-app report fails, use Instagram’s impersonation form with a photo of a government ID. Friends can report too, but the owner’s own report carries the most weight. Keep screenshots and the profile link, and report any scam activity separately.
What counts as impersonation
Instagram removes accounts that pretend to be you — using your name, photos or brand to make people believe the account is yours. Fan, commentary and parody accounts are generally allowed when they make clear they are not the real person. If someone reposts your photos without pretending to be you, the right route is usually a privacy or copyright report rather than an impersonation report. Choosing the correct category matters, because each one is reviewed against a different policy.
Report it from inside the app
- Go to the fake profile and tap the three dots (•••) in the top corner.
- Tap Report, then choose the option for an account pretending to be someone else.
- Select Me (or the person or business you represent, where offered).
- Follow the prompts; Instagram may ask for identification to confirm you are the person being impersonated.
Reports are anonymous to the account you report. Keep a screenshot of the confirmation and of the fake profile before it changes its name.
Report with Instagram’s impersonation form
The form is the route when you do not have an Instagram account, when you are reporting on behalf of someone you are authorised to represent (for example a client or a family member who is a minor), or when the in-app report keeps failing. You will need the fake account’s username or link and a clear photo of a government-issued ID of the person being impersonated. For a business or brand, a trademark report is often stronger than an impersonation report.
Evidence that makes the report work
- The exact profile link and username — and any previous usernames, since impersonators rename accounts.
- Screenshots showing the copied name, photos and bio, with dates.
- A link to your real account, so the reviewer can compare.
- Any messages the fake account sent to your contacts asking for money or personal details.
- For brands: trademark registration or business documents.
If the report is rejected or the account comes back
Rejections happen when the report lands in the wrong category, the ID does not clearly match, or the profile was edited just before review. Re-filing with the right route and better evidence often succeeds. Persistent impersonators — new accounts every week, scams aimed at your followers — need a coordinated approach: the right reports on each account, privacy and copyright routes for your photos, and legal routes where they apply. That is our Instagram content and account removal service; a real before–after example is case file 06.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Instagram take to remove an impersonation account?
Clear cases reported by the impersonated person are often handled within days. Cases that need ID review or re-filing take longer.
Can my friends report the fake account for me?
They can report it as impersonating someone they know, which helps. For the ID-backed review, Instagram generally needs the impersonated person or an authorised representative to report.
Will the fake account find out who reported it?
Instagram says reports are anonymous, except for intellectual property reports such as copyright and trademark claims.
The account uses my photos but a different name. Is that impersonation?
Not always. If it is not pretending to be you, report the photos through Instagram’s privacy or copyright routes instead.