Image removal guide
How to report a fake profile using your photo
A copied profile photo can be confusing and potentially harmful. Reclaim helps you document the profile, review possible matches, and prepare an impersonation-focused report.
General guidance, not legal advice.
Reclaim provides product guidance and request templates for your review. Urgent, complex, or high-risk situations may need specialist support or qualified legal advice.
What this applies to
- A public profile uses your image, name, or identity cues.
- An account appears to be misleading others using your photo.
- You need evidence before reporting the profile to a platform.
Evidence to collect
- Profile URL, username, display name, and screenshots.
- Messages, posts, or contact attempts linked to the account.
- Evidence that the image or identity is yours where appropriate.
- Dates when you found the profile and any platform responses.
Which request may help
An impersonation / fake profile report may help. A privacy or copyright request may also apply depending on the image and platform.
Where to send it
- The platform's impersonation or fake account report form.
- The platform's privacy or abuse reporting route if impersonation is not available.
- The account host or support channel for smaller services.
What to do if ignored
- Submit a follow-up with clearer evidence and screenshots.
- Use a different platform policy route if the first category was too narrow.
- Warn close contacts outside the platform if the account is contacting people as you.
When to escalate
- The profile is asking for money, sharing intimate content, threatening people, or committing fraud.
- The profile returns after removal.
- The impersonation spans multiple platforms or targets your workplace, family, or clients.
FAQ
Common questions
Should I message the fake profile?
Consider preserving evidence first. Direct contact can sometimes make the account change or delete evidence.
Can Reclaim prove impersonation?
No. Reclaim helps organise possible matches and evidence for your review.
What request type fits fake profiles?
An impersonation / fake profile report is often the starting point.