How Do I Report a Fake Instagram Account as a Business or Brand?

Fake brand accounts can steal customers. Here's which route fits.

Last checked: 29 October 2026 against the sources listed at the end of this guide.

#Which route should I use?

Instagram's Report an account that's impersonating you page says you can report the account from Instagram, or use its contact form if you don't have an account, and you'll need to provide the requested information, including a photo of your government-issued ID. Instagram only responds to reports from the person being impersonated or their representative, such as a parent. Reports are anonymous, except intellectual property reports, so the account won't see who reported it.

Meta's About Brand Rights Protection page says the tool lets brands identify and report content for counterfeit, trademark and copyright infringement and business impersonation, including ads, Shops, Marketplace, Pages, profiles, Groups, Instagram accounts and posts. If you have a registered trademark, you can apply for access. Once granted, you can search for content and accounts that misuse your intellectual property, send takedown requests, track results and add reference images. You open it from the Menu in Meta Business Suite and need the IP reviewer role. Without access, you can still use Meta's report forms.

#How do I use the counterfeit form?

1. Open help.instagram.com/contact/instagramcounterfeitform.
2. Confirm you're the rights owner or agent.
3. Add your trademark registration details.
4. Link the posts or account.
5. Submit and keep the confirmation.

Instagram's Intellectual Property page says its Terms of Use don't allow content that violates someone else's copyright or trademark. Copyright protects original works such as books, music, film and art, but not names, titles and slogans, which a trademark might protect. A trademark is a word, slogan, symbol or design, such as a brand name or logo, that tells one company's products apart from another's. The page links separately to reporting impersonation accounts and hacked accounts.

#What evidence helps?

• Profile URL and screenshots.
• Trademark certificate.
• Customer messages showing confusion or scams.
• Your official handle and website.

Related guides: How Do I Protect a Celebrity or VIP Account From Impersonation on Instagram?, What Is Meta Brand Rights Protection and How Do I Apply?, Someone Is Impersonating Me With a WhatsApp Username: How Do I Report It?.

Instagram's Report a post or profile page says you can report content for reasons including scam, fraud or spam, and report a profile for pretending to be someone else. Tap Options on the post or profile, then Report, and follow the steps. Instagram says reports are anonymous, except for intellectual property reports, so the account won't see who reported it.

Meta's Meta Verified page lists a verified badge, which means your profile was verified based on your activity across Meta technologies or information or documents you provided; impersonation protection, where Meta will remove accounts it determines are pretending to be you; and enhanced support with email or chat agents available 24 hours, every day. It notes that enhanced support may not be available to all subscribers at this time, and that features, availability and pricing vary by region and app.

#What common mistakes should I avoid?

• Only reporting through the app once.
• Using the wrong form.
• Engaging with the fake account publicly.
• Not warning customers.

Instagram's Secure your Instagram account page calls two-factor authentication the single most effective step to protect an account from hackers, because it asks for a code when someone logs in from a device Instagram doesn't recognise. It also recommends a strong, unique password you haven't used elsewhere, avoiding personal details like names and birthdays, and never giving your password to anyone you don't know and trust.

Meta's Securing your Meta Account with two-factor authentication page says two-factor authentication asks for a code when there's a login attempt from a device Meta doesn't recognise. Turn it on in Accounts Center, under Password and security, then Two-factor authentication. You can choose an authentication app, which Meta recommends, a text message, or WhatsApp. If you lose your phone, a backup code lets you log in, and Meta says you shouldn't tap Trust this device on a public or shared device.

#How do I keep the account safe while I sort this out?

• Never share a login code, password or backup code with anyone, including people who say they work for Meta, the police or a recovery service.
• Make sure the email address and phone number on the account are ones you still control, and remove any you do not recognise.
• Turn on two-factor authentication where the platform offers it, ideally with an authenticator app, and keep your backup codes somewhere offline.
• Log in only from the official app or by typing the address yourself, not from links in messages, comments or ads.
• Keep screenshots of every notice, email and step you take, with dates, in case you need them for a review or a report.
• Make one careful attempt at each official step rather than many rushed ones, because repeated failed attempts can trigger extra checks.

#When It Is Safer to Get Expert Help

Ask for help before you appeal if the account matters to your income, your business or your memories, if you have already had one appeal rejected, or if you cannot tell whether the problem is a bug, a restriction or a hack. That is where most avoidable losses happen.

AwareXone is independent and not affiliated with Meta, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp or Threads. Recovery work is best-effort and the platform makes the final decision.