facebook report cloned account

Cloned Facebook Account: How to remove, find, stop, or report it?

What is a cloned facebook account, has your facebook account been cloned, how to find cloned facebook account, how to report and remove a cloned facebook account, how to stop facebook account cloning, how do i delete duplicate facebook accounts, what happens when you report a facebook account as fake, madhuparna@twc.

What to Do When a Friend’s Facebook Account is Hacked or Duped

Before any serious damage is done

A cloned Facebook account uses the name and photo from a real account to trick people into giving away info. Here’s how to recognize a cloned account on Facebook and what to do if you suspect a friend’s account has been hacked or duped.

Having your Facebook account hacked is a nightmare. When a scammer gets hold of your friend’s Facebook account, they get access to that person’s friends list. Hackers can then employ phishing techniques, scam other Facebook users, and spread malware to you and everyone else on that person’s Facebook friends list. It’s even worse if your friend’s Facebook account wasn’t hacked but cloned. In that case, you’ll have no one else to blame but yourself for getting tricked.

What Is a Cloned Facebook Account?

Facebook account cloning is a simple scam that’s been around for years. In short, a scammer uses one of your online accounts to get publicly available information about you. Then they use the information found on your profile page (i.e., your profile picture, cover photo, date of birth, bio, school, or work info) to create a new account in your name.

They’ll use this account to trick your friends into giving up their personal information, following malicious links, and participating in other scams. For example, scammers can ask a friend of yours to send them money to help you out in a dire situation. While a person usually won’t send money to a stranger immediately, they might do it without thinking if they believe that you (their friend) are in trouble.

How to Recognize Facebook Account Cloning

Strictly speaking, Facebook account cloning isn’t a hack but a trick that clever scammers use to breach social media accounts. A cloned account is a copy of your account that uses information from your Facebook page.

If a scammer spends a lot of time and effort duplicating your or your friend’s account, it might be difficult for other users to spot it immediately. However, you can use one sure sign to recognize a cloned account and inform the actual account owner about it. This sign is a duplicate friend request.

If you or your friends start receiving duplicate friend requests from someone they already have on their friend’s list, that’s a clear sign of a cloned Facebook account. On Facebook, if you’ve already sent a friend request to someone, you can’t send another one, as there’s no such option on the platform. So if you get a friend request from someone you’re sure is already on your friends list, you can safely assume there’s a scammer behind it.

When you suspect someone’s made a copy of your friend’s Facebook account, here are the things you should do immediately.

Find the Real Account’s Owner

When you receive a new friend request from someone who’s already on your friends list, there’s still a possibility it’s a real person who created a second account. Before reporting this account to Facebook, find the real account’s owner and ask them about the duplicate.

Open Facebook and use the Search function (upper-left corner of the screen) to find the original Facebook profile you suspect was duplicated. You can also find the original account on your Facebook friends list.

If the account’s owner created a new Facebook profile, they probably announced it on their original page. If you don’t find such an announcement on their page, select Message and ask them about the second profile directly on Facebook Messenger. If they don’t know about the second account, let them know about Facebook account cloning and that somebody might be using their personal information without permission.

Report a Hacked or Duped Account on Facebook

Facebook has an algorithm that allows you to report an account you consider fake. Once you’re sure the account you’re looking at is fake, follow the steps below to report a fake account to Facebook. The instructions differ depending on the device that you’re using.

Follow the steps below to report a duped or hacked Facebook account on the web, follow the steps below.

• Open Facebook on your desktop.
• Navigate to the account you want to report and open their profile page.
• Select More (the three horizontal dots in the top right corner) > Find support or report .

• From the Report menu, select one of the reasons: Pretending to be someone , Fake account , Fake name , or something else.

Follow the steps below to report a Facebook account on the mobile app.

• Open Facebook on your smartphone and navigate to the account that you want to report.
• On their profile page, select More > Report profile .

• Under Please select a problem , select the reason for reporting the account.

• Follow the instructions and give Facebook all the required details. Then select Submit or Send .

You can also report a hacked account to Facebook using the facebook.com/hacked link. Simply follow the on-screen instructions to give Facebook an overview of your situation and report the suspicious activity. If the cloned account has blocked you, you can ask your friends on Facebook to follow the same procedure and report it to Facebook.

You can report someone pretending to be you or your friend even if you don’t have a Facebook profile (or don’t have access to your Facebook profile at the moment). To do that, follow the link , fill in the Report an impostor account form, and submit it to Facebook.

Report a Hacked or Duped Account in Messenger

If you use Facebook Messenger as a standalone app , you can also use it to report a friend’s compromised Facebook account. Accounts that pretend to be someone else aren’t allowed in Messenger. Follow the steps below when you come across an account pretending to be you or someone else.

• In Messenger, find the conversation with the fake profile and select the information icon in the top right corner.
• Scroll down until you see Privacy and select Report .

• Select the reason for reporting the conversation, like Pretending to be someone . Then select who this person is pretending to be: Me , A friend , A celebrity .

• Select Submit Report to confirm.

How to Protect Your Friends (and Yourself) From Hackers

There are several techniques a Facebook user can employ to protect their account from hackers. If you want to prevent your friend’s account from being compromised or duplicated, share the following privacy and security tips with them.

Hide Your Facebook Friends List

After a hacker creates a duplicate of your account on Facebook, they’ll start targeting the people found on your friends list and send them fake friend requests. To avoid that, you can simply hide your Facebook friends list from other users.

To do that, go to your Facebook account settings and follow the path Settings > Privacy > How people can find and contact you > Who can see your friends list? On the right side, select Edit and choose one of the options from the drop-down menu. If you want to make your friends list private, select Only me .

Make Your Facebook Account Private

After you make your Facebook friends list private, you can take it one step further and make your whole Facebook account private . You can do it in your account’s privacy settings.

Check Your Facebook Security Settings

Even if you believe you have a strong password on Facebook, that’s not always enough to protect yourself from hackers. To be safe, we recommend going through your account’s security settings on Facebook.

You can set up extra security measures in the Security and login section, like turning on alerts about unrecognized logins and two-factor authentication.

When you switch the two-factor authentication on, Facebook will send a text message with a unique code to your phone number every time there’s a login attempt from an unrecognized device. This makes it much harder for hackers to get into your Facebook account.

What’s Next?

When you find out that your friend’s Facebook account was compromised or duplicated, the most important thing to do is report it to Facebook as soon as possible. After that, you can let your other Facebook friends know about the duplicate so they can also report it as fake.

Creating fake or duplicate accounts goes against Facebook guidelines, and they take these reports seriously. If Facebook gets several reports about the same account, they’re likely to move quickly and take the fake account down before any damage is done.

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Anya is a freelance technology writer. Originally from Russia, she is currently a full-time Remote Worker and Digital Nomad. With a background in Journalism, Language Studies, and Technical Translation, Anya couldn't imagine her life and work without using modern technology on a daily basis. Always looking out for new ways to make her life and location-independent lifestyle easier, she hopes to share her experiences as a tech- and internet-addict through her writing. Read Anya's Full Bio

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What To Do if Your Facebook Account Gets Cloned

Dave Johnson Dave Johnson is a dedicated writer with a strong focus on the ever-evolving social media landscape. Leveraging his comprehensive understanding of these platforms, he breaks down the complexities of social media apps to provide engaging and insightful content. Read more June 2, 2023

In today’s world of hackers and scammers, it’s good to be cautious and proactive. This is especially true for your social media accounts. Maintaining your account’s security and privacy settings is a must, but sometimes that’s not enough.

Facebook account cloning isn’t something new, but it is becoming more and more common. If you’d like to know more about what it is, how it’s done, and what you can do to protect yourself, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll cover all of those things.

Facebook Account Cloning

When some people hear about Facebook account cloning, a lot believe that it’s due to being hacked. This isn’t true. Experienced cloners can mimic your Facebook account quite well, but they haven’t actually gotten past your security settings. What they’ve done is copied your account to make it appear as if it’s yours. Whatever information you have on your account that’s set to public can easily be copied and used in a new account, one that resembles yours.

If your profile photo is set to public, anyone with a Facebook account can easily click on it and then tap the “download” button. The same could be said for any other photos you have that are set to public. Your name, birthplace, current city, and anything else that is set to public is fair game for these scammers.

How to Know if Your Account Has Been Cloned

The simplest method to see if your account has been cloned is to do a Facebook search for your name or the name you use on your account. If you’re concerned about someone cloning your account, you could perform this search daily. Most people learn that their account has been cloned after one of their Facebook friends is sent a friend request. If they accept, that usually is immediately followed by a Facebook message, one in which they typically ask for money. That is the real reason why scammers create these copycat accounts.

What to Do if You’ve Become the Victim of a Cloned Account

If you’ve found a clone of your account, either through your own vigilance or by a friend alerting you, there are a few things you can do.

Report the Account

First, report the cloned account to Facebook. It’s a violation of their Terms of Service. Impersonating another account isn’t allowed and you should do everything you can to have the account closed. Here’s how you contact Facebook about a cloned account:

• Navigate to the cloned account.

It’s also a good idea to alert your Facebook friends about this copycat account. Create a Facebook post alerting your friends that there is an account impersonating you. Tell them not to accept any friend requests or messages from an account that appears to be yours.

Make Sure You Haven’t Been Hacked

Although cloned accounts are simply someone pretending to be you, there are cases where hackers have gained access to someone’s account. Cloning is much more common because of how easy it is to do, but hacking does happen. If you think your account could have been hacked, here’s a way to check:

• Here you’ll see where you are currently logged in, at what time, and on what device. You’ll also see the last login from other devices.

If you don’t see any suspicious logins, then you have nothing to worry about.

How to Protect Yourself From Being Cloned

Cloners impersonate your account by stealing whatever information and photos that you have set as public. Although it’ll make it much more difficult for friends and family to find your Facebook account, the best thing that you can do is change your privacy settings for almost everything to “Friends.” By hiding most of your photos and information, only friends can see it. Since most scammers impersonate accounts by sending messages to your friends asking for money, it’s best to hide your friends list. Here’s how to do it:

Facebook Account Cloning Explained

If you have a lot of your Facebook information and friends list set as public, a scammer can easily clone your account. Account impersonators then use your friends list to send them friend requests in hopes that they can later send them messages asking for money. Ensuring that your friend list and photos aren’t set to public can help to protect the integrity of your account.

Have you been concerned about your Facebook account being cloned? Did the suggestions in this article help you to prevent this from happening? Let us know in the comments section below.

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How to Report a Fake Account on Facebook

Is someone impersonating you or somebody you know on Facebook? You’ll need to report the account. This guide explains how.

Have you ever encountered a fake account on Facebook? Perhaps someone is pretending to be you or someone you know, using a fake name or photo to scam or harass others.

Fake accounts can be annoying, harmful, and often illegal. If you want to stop these impostors and protect yourself and your friends, you can report them to Facebook. Reporting a fake account is easy and should help Facebook take more urgent action against them.

In this article, we’ll show you how to do it for mobile and PC users. We’ll also give you tips on spotting a fake account and what to do if someone is impersonating you.

How to Spot a Fake Account on Facebook

Before you report a fake account, you need to make sure it’s actually fake. Here are some signs that can help you identify a fake account:

• The name is unusual and isn’t one you recognize.
• The account has few or no friends, posts, or visible account activity.
• You recognize the name (and other personal data), but the profile doesn’t match the photo.
• The photo is generic or blurry, or you suspect it’s been stolen from another source.
• The account sends you spammy messages or requests for money or personal information.
• The account posts inappropriate or offensive content.

These signs are not definitive, and there will be genuine accounts that may have some of these traits. However, the account is likely fake if you see multiple red flags.

If you want to proceed, you can send a report by following the steps below.

How to Report a Fake Facebook Account on a Mobile Device

The steps are simple to follow if you’re using your mobile device and want to report a fake account on Facebook.

To report a fake Facebook account on Android or iPhone:

• Open the Facebook app and sign in (if you need to).

• Select the profile name of the fake account to open it.

• Follow the on-screen instructions to explain your report and submit it.

Once you’ve submitted your report, you may receive a confirmation in your email. Don’t expect an instant response, however, as Facebook might take some time to respond to the report and deal with the fake account (if they believe it’s a threat).

There’s also no guarantee that Facebook will do anything. If you believe the account puts you or others at risk, you should also consider speaking to law enforcement in your jurisdiction for additional support and advice.

How to Report a Fake Facebook Account on a PC or Mac

If you prefer using Facebook on your PC or Mac, you can follow similar steps to report a fake account on Facebook as mobile users.

To report a fake Facebook account on a PC or Mac:

• Open the Facebook website in your web browser and sign in with your account.
• Search for the fake account by typing the account’s name in the search bar.

• Follow any additional on-screen instructions to submit your report.

As with mobile users, you’ll receive confirmation of your report once you’ve submitted it. However, Facebook will take time to take action (if they take any action at all).

What Should You Do If Someone Is Impersonating You?

If someone uses your name or photo without your permission, you should report them as soon as possible using the steps above.

You should also take these steps to help guard your safety online:

• Contact your friends and family and let them know about the impostor . Ask them not to accept any friend requests or messages from them and to report the account using the steps outlined above.
• Change your password and security settings on Facebook and other online accounts . This will help prevent hackers from accessing more of your information.
• Check your privacy settings and ensure only people you trust can see your posts and photos.
• Speak to law enforcement . In many jurisdictions, impersonating someone online (especially to conduct unlawful activity) is a criminal offense, and the police might be able to force Facebook to bring the account down.

Protecting Yourself on Facebook

Reporting a fake account on Facebook is a simple way to help keep yourself and others safe online. By following these steps, you and others can alert Facebook about impostors or scammers violating their policies. You can also take common-sense precautions to protect your identity and privacy from potential fraudsters.

Want to take steps to improve your Facebook experience? You can always mute a Facebook friend that’s a bit too chatty with posts and messages without removing them.

If you want to start a private conversation without anyone else knowing, you could also start a secret conversation on Facebook Messenger .

April 25, 2023 at 8:09 am

As always Thank You for you informative posts.

It is so frustrating when someone does take control of your Facebook Page. My wife had her Page Hijacked as well as the email was changed so she had no access to it whatsoever. We spent hours trying to reclaim it with out success even when we proved to support with a drivers license and even a passport.

It would be so wonderful if a recommendation could be made hot to resolve this for others…

Roberto Maldonado Nieves

April 29, 2023 at 12:51 am

The problem with Facebook is when we report a fake account of someone that is using my name and pictures also they change the spelling of my by changing 1 letter. Facebook will respond and say they can’t take it down because they are fans not impersonating me. Do we have to sue Facebook?

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What Is a Facebook Cloning Scam?

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This seemingly simple yet nefarious scam has been around for years. Cybercriminals don’t even need to hack into your account but they use social engineering and stalking to target you and your friends.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Facebook cloning scam, how to check if you’re already a victim, and what you can do to protect yourself.

What Is a Facebook Account Cloning Scam?

This type of scam involves using a cloned account to send phishing links, or trick your friends into giving information, or, worse, sending money. They may also use this cloned account for other scams on the social network  by exploiting your identity and your contacts.

They replicate social media accounts by using all your public photos and information, making a copy of your existing account, and then adding your contacts. Scammers will pretend to be you and then start messaging your connections.

The more they trick into adding them, the more legit their accounts will look like.

Why Do Scammers Clone Accounts?

When scammers reach out to these contacts, they might send a message with a phishing link they’ll ask contacts to click. And because your contacts trust, you there’s a chance they will click on that link.

These could download malware or lead your contacts to a phony site in an attack called pharming.

Related: What Is Pharming and How Do You Protect Yourself From It?

A phony site is designed to look like a legitimate site where people normally log in. Scammers use social engineering to convince your contacts to log into these cloned websites. Once victims type in their credentials, these will be harvested by hackers that control the site.

After pilfering login details, they can then hack into people’s accounts, drain their bank accounts, or make purchases using their credit cards. They can also harvest other Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and use these for illegal activities like identity theft.

Other scammers could pretend to be you, reach out to your friends and ask for money.

They’d say something about being in an accident, a particularly sticky situation, or an emergency. Then they’ll ask your friends to send money right away. Because your friends and family care about you and want to get you out of the situation fast, there’s a chance they’ll send the scammers money without thinking.

Facebook Cloning vs. Facebook Hacking

Facebook cloning does not involve getting into your account using credentials they may have acquired through a data leak or another phishing attack.

Unlike hacking, cloning simply means copying your account, then pretending to be you without gaining access to your real account.

They will remain outside your Facebook; they can, however, use a fake version of your account to trick your friends into giving them important information. As such, after a cloning scam, they can hack your friends' accounts.

How to Check If Your Facebook Account Has Been Cloned

The most obvious sign that you have been cloned is if a friend reaches out to you to ask if you made a new account. This means someone made a mirror copy of your current account and is reaching out to your friends.

If you have security-savvy friends, they’d probably suspect something fishy is going on right off the bat. Others would add the cloned account but then suspect something’s amiss when the scammer sends a message because the message doesn’t sound like something you’d write.

A few of them might get fooled by these scammers’ tricks. Especially if the latter have spent time studying how you communicate so they can mimic how you write your messages.

To check if there’s a cloned account out there, you can type your name on Facebook search. You can also do this on search engines to check what else is out there.

Try variations of your name too because some of them may use a name that’s similar to yours. It’s similar enough for your friends to think that it’s you but slightly different so you don’t find it right away when you use search engines to check.

There’s also a chance the scammers have already blocked you and you won’t find it when you search so ask your friends to find it for you.

How to Protect Yourself From Facebook Account Cloning

Be mindful of what you share with people outside your friends' list and the platform. Remember that everything you share—photos, private information, friends list—that’s set to public can be seen by everyone on the internet.

Everything you share publicly can be stolen and used to clone your account or steal your identity. So you need to regularly check your Facebook’s privacy settings. The platform regularly updates its security and privacy protocols so make it a habit to check what’s new and if something has changed in your account.

Only add people you know and trust on Facebook. Always double-check if accounts are legit before approving a connection request.

Also, set your friends list to private so scammers can’t target them.

How to Check If Your Facebook Account Is Public

There might have been times when you shared something without knowing that it was set to "Public". To check what the public can see, go to your profile. Then click the three dots on the top right corner, below your cover photo. Click the eye icon that says View As .

This will take you to your public profile or "View As" mode. Everything you will see here is information, photos, and videos you’ve shared that's set to "Public". This means people outside your friends list and the platform can see these.

You cannot edit your profile while you’re on "View As". But you can take note of all the content and the dates of your public posts so you can find them later and change their audience settings.

To exit "View As" mode, click Exit View As on the top right corner of the screen.

What to Do If You Find a Cloned Facebook Account

If you find a Facebook clone account, go to the profile of the clone account. Click the three dots on the top right corner of the screen below the cover photo. Then select Find Support or Report Page .

If you don’t have a Facebook account and someone has made a fake account, you can fill out  this form .

Protect Your Friends and Family From Scammers

Keeping your privacy and security settings updated helps protect not just you, but all the people you love too.

Remember that whatever you share publicly can be used to clone your accounts and target your friends and family. Scammers will use tactics like social engineering to trick your connections . By being mindful about what you share, you keep yourself and your loved ones safe from scammers.

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How to remove a cloned Facebook account

Ever received a Facebook message that says “ Please don’t accept any new friend requests from me ”? This is a surefire sign that a hacker cloned your friend’s Facebook account. Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence that could happen to you. This guide will show you how to identify fake accounts, report them to Facebook, and safeguard your digital identity.

Hackers clone thousands of Facebook accounts each year, posing serious risks to you and your friends. A cloned Facebook account can be used to befriend people you know, posing serious dangers by spreading scam messages for phishing, malicious links, and even defrauding your friends of their money.

A cloned Facebook can severely endanger your family and friends. Learning how to spot, report, and shut down a cloned Facebook account as quickly as possible is vital. Meta makes it easy for anybody to flag an offending account. Keep reading to learn how to swiftly delete a fake Facebook profile and protect yourself and your loved ones.

What is a cloned Facebook account?

A cloned Facebook account is a fraudulent account set up using the name and photos of a real person. The cloned account is usually made to look like a secondary account and is used by the hacker to send friend requests to the victim’s contacts.

If any of the victim’s friends accidentally accept a friend request from the cloned account, the hacker who controls the cloned account can start sending them messages. Hackers use these fake Facebook accounts to scam people by asking them for money or sending malicious links to sites that steal passwords or download malware.

How can you tell if a Facebook account is fake?

If a cloned Facebook account is impersonating you, you will know that it’s fake right away. But what if you suspect a Facebook account is impersonating one of your friends or a family member?

Generally speaking, it is easy to tell that a Facebook account has been cloned. Below, we have included common signs to look out for:

• Fewer photos : A cloned Facebook account will likely have only a few stolen images from the victim’s real account.
• Fewer status updates : A cloned Facebook account will probably only have a few posts on its wall. Check these carefully for grammar mistakes or other signs that they are not real (relevance to the actual person, etc).
• Very small friend list : Most people nowadays understand what a cloned Facebook account is, which is why cloned accounts find it harder to make friends. If you notice that a Facebook account that sends you a request has a small friends list, then it is probably fake.
• Recent account creation date : A cloned account is likely to have been created recently, so check to find out how long the account has been around.
• Both accounts appear in search results : If two accounts for the same person appear in search results, then one of them is likely a fake.

If you identify a fake Facebook profile in a friend’s name, contacting your real friends is a good idea to let them know they are at risk. You and the victim (and any other helpful friends) can then flag the cloned account to have it removed.

How to find a cloned Facebook account

The easiest way to detect a cloned Facebook account is to use Facebook’s search feature. Start by entering your name in the search bar. You should find only your account and others sharing your name but with different profile pictures. To further refine your search:

• Use Filters : Apply location filters to narrow down the search to your area, or use education and work filters to find profiles claiming to be associated with the same institutions or companies as you.

You should find only one account using your pictures when you search for your name. You will also find accounts belonging to people with the same name as you – but different pictures. You can repeat this process of searching for cloned accounts for your close friends or family.

What to do if you suspect a cloned account:

If you find a suspicious account, contact the person it belongs to and ask whether they created it. If the account is a malicious clone, follow the steps below to remove it.

How do I know if my Facebook account has been cloned?

Although you can search for a cloned Facebook account using the method described above, the reality is that most people find out they are being impersonated when they suddenly start receiving messages and emails from concerned friends.

When your Facebook account is cloned, it is likely to be used to contact your friends and family. The hacker will send friend requests to your contacts and some of those people will become suspicious. This leads to those friends contacting the victim.

If you suddenly receive messages from friends telling you that they are receiving messages from you on a secondary account, this means you have fallen victim to a Facebook cloning attack

Now that you know how to spot a fake Facebook account, you are ready to remove any offending accounts.

To remove a cloned Facebook account, follow the simple steps below:

• Open the profile of the account that has been cloned.

• Now click the option that says Find support or report

That’s it! The account has been reported as fake and Meta should remove it soon. To speed up the process, we recommend that you get friends and family to report the account too. The more times it is reported, the faster it is likely to be removed by Facebook.

Remain vigilant and regularly check for cloned accounts to ensure nobody is impersonating you or your loved ones on Facebook.

How to prevent account cloning on Facebook

Although it is impossible to completely remove the potential for a Facebook account to be cloned, there are some things you can do to reduce the likelihood of it occurring to you.

If you change your account to limit its visibility to “friends only,” it will be much harder for hackers to view it and steal publicly available photos. Doing this will also remove your profile from search results, making it harder for hackers to clone your account.

Even using this privacy feature, it is worth remembering that you could inadvertently accept a friend request from a cloned account or somebody posing as a friend of a friend. This is why we recommend carefully considering who you allow into your circles.

Always analyze each friend request you receive and only accept if you’re 100% sure you trust them. This careful approach will further reduce the likelihood of receiving dangerous direct messages or befriending a hacker who decides to clone your Facebook account.

Cloning vs hacking: What is the difference?

A cloned Facebook account is a secondary account that is set up by a hacker using photos and info taken from the user’s real Facebook account. This clone is fully under the control of the hacker.

A hacked Facebook account is a genuine account hijacked by cybercriminals rather than creating a new, fake one. This kind of account takeover is very dangerous because it means the hacker has managed to gain access to a real Facebook account. The hacker can see and modify all the data in the genuine Facebook account and can send messages to your contacts that appear to be sent by you.

Cloned Facebook accounts FAQs

Does facebook allow cloned accounts.

No. Facebook never allows cloned Facebook accounts and it will remove any account that has been reported as a fake account. The important thing to remember is that many people have genuine secondary accounts, which makes it harder for Facebook to use automatic methods to remove cloned accounts. This is why users must remain vigilant and report any cloned accounts as soon as possible.

Am I responsible for losses incurred from a cloned account in my name?

No. If someone has cloned your account and successfully scammed one of your contacts, you are not responsible. This is a crime that affects both you and your contact.

The person who has suffered from fraud should report the losses to the police and their bank and should attempt to recoup losses using normal legal methods.

You are not responsible for any losses incurred from the scam account because you are also a victim.

Why has Facebook disabled my account?

If Facebook has disabled your account, it could mean that someone has flagged it for suspicious activities. Facebook will disable your account if it believes that the account is acting maliciously or is in breach of its Terms of Service. If your account has been flagged or suspended incorrectly, you will need to take this up with Facebook by contacting support. Meta may require you to provide identification to unblock the account.

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Here's how to remove a cloned Facebook account

Published on April 29, 2024

It happens regularly on Facebook : A friend’s post begins, “Do not accept any friend invitations from me!” Another Facebook account has been cloned. By now, most of us are savvy enough to be cautious online, especially on Facebook. But sometimes, the cloner uses pressure tactics to make their victims react quickly, and people end up losing money or having their computers taken hostage. Fortunately, there is a well-established procedure for reporting cloned Facebook accounts. You should know how to remove a cloned Facebook account before it happens.

If and when you are targeted by this fraud, speed is crucial in notifying your friends about the situation to prevent damage and reporting the fake account to Facebook.

QUICK ANSWER

To get rid of a clone of your Facebook account, go to the fake profile page and click on the three-dot menu. Choose Find support or report > Pretending to be someone > Me and then click on Submit.

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Why do Facebook accounts get cloned?

How do i know if someone cloned my facebook account, what to do if your facebook account gets cloned.

There is really only one reason someone would try to pass themselves off as you on Facebook, and that’s theft. But there are variations on this theme. Some cloners will try to get your friends and family to wire them small amounts of money. They know the small amount being asked for, and the familiar name and face will get some people to let their guard down. The cloner may even add a made-up urgent situation, like they’ve been mugged and need money to get home, into their post. People who are acting quickly think less.

Other cloners are more daring and try to get your Facebook contacts to click on a link, where a malicious website will inject a virus into their system. This malicious code may be ransomware, which will freeze your computer until you pay the demanded amount. Others want your friends’ information so they can expand their pool of possible victims. One thing is for sure: A stranger impersonating you on Facebook will never have your best interests at heart.

Many people find out their Facebook account has been cloned when they start receiving messages, emails, and even phone calls from people on their friends list telling them something seems strange about their recent posts. People may even ask if you are OK and if you received the money they sent you if they’ve already been swindled unknowingly.

The quickest way to find out if your Facebook account has been cloned is to search for your own name on Facebook. Don’t be surprised if there’s more than one person with your name; that happens a lot. You have to look a little closer. Check the profile pic first. If there is more than one of your profile photo on the search results list, one of them isn’t you. Compare the two profiles. One will have all your normal posts (or lack thereof), and the other will have either few to no posts or a post about their situation and how they just need someone to click on a link to help them out.

Other details might be wrong as well. If you don’t post your birthday like many people, they may have one posted, which may be wrong. But using your photo on a profile with your name is enough to go on to suspect someone of fraud. You should contact Facebook immediately. You should also log out of Facebook on all your devices , then log back in and change your password to one you have never used before. While you are doing that, take the time to change your privacy settings so nothing is set to Public .

Cloning vs hacking

There is a difference between cloning your Facebook account and hacking it. If you see fictitious posts in your name on Facebook and a search for your name does not produce a duplicate account, your account may a victim of hacking and not cloning. Either someone got hold of your Facebook password somehow, or they have the skills and equipment to force their way in. (One way they do this is by using a program that automatically types in password after password until it finds the right one for your account by sheer repetition.)

In this case, change your password immediately to a very long and complex one, and only then post a warning on your timeline not to interact with any of your recent posts. If you don’t change your password first, the hacker can delete your warning. Then go to this link on Facebook to report your account being hacked: I think my Facebook account was hacked or someone is using it without my permission .

If you are sure that what has happened is your Facebook account being cloned, the procedure is straightforward. Go to the profile page of the fake (cloned) account. Click on the three-dot menu on the right-hand side of the page. Then click on Find support or report.

From the menu that comes up, choose Pretending to be someone.

Next click on Pretending to be me.

Send Facebook notification of this problem by clicking on the Submit button. Facebook will remove the fake account within a few days.

Facebook doesn’t allow cloned accounts; that’s why they get rid of them when users report them. In a world with many people who have the same name as each other, it is not possible (yet) to distinguish a cloner from someone who just happens to have the same name as you. Even the photo’s metadata is not a reliable indicator, since I could take a photo into an image editor, make no change at all, and save it out as a new file, and the metadata would now be different from that of your authentic profile pic.

No, you are not. No one can blame you for fraud on someone else’s part. You are a victim of the cloner as well.

Because you, in Facebook’s estimation, violated their Terms of Service.  To look into why, see Facebook’s Community Standards .

No. Facebook’s rule prohibiting the impersonation of another Facebook user has no exceptions. Facebook also has a specific rule against holding multiple accounts or sharing an account among more than one person.

What do I do if my Facebook account is cloned?

As a Facebook user, you may have experienced the nightmare of having your account cloned. A cloned account is a fake account created by someone else using your personal information, such as your name, email address, and password. This can be a serious issue, as it can lead to identity theft, financial losses, and damage to your online reputation. In this article, we will guide you on what to do if your Facebook account is cloned.

What are the signs of a cloned Facebook account?

Before we dive into the steps to take if your account is cloned, it’s essential to know the signs of a cloned account. Here are some common signs:

• Unfamiliar login activity : You notice login attempts from unknown locations or devices.
• Strange posts or comments : You see posts or comments on your account that you didn’t make.
• New friends or followers : You notice new friends or followers on your account that you don’t recognize.
• Different profile picture or cover photo : Your profile picture or cover photo has been changed without your permission.

What to do if you suspect your Facebook account is cloned

If you suspect that your Facebook account is cloned, follow these steps:

Table of Contents

Step 1: Report the cloned account

• Go to the cloned account : Log in to your Facebook account and search for the cloned account.
• Click on the three dots : Click on the three dots next to the cloned account’s profile picture.
• Select "Report this account" : Choose "Report this account" from the dropdown menu.
• Choose the reason : Select the reason for reporting the account, such as "Fake account" or "Hacked account".

Step 2: Secure your original account

• Change your password : Immediately change your Facebook password to a strong and unique one.
• Enable two-factor authentication : Enable two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security to your account.
• Review your login activity : Check your login activity to see if there are any suspicious login attempts.

Step 3: Monitor your account

• Keep an eye on your account : Monitor your account regularly for any suspicious activity.
• Report any suspicious activity : Report any suspicious activity or posts to Facebook.

What to do if the cloned account is still active

If the cloned account is still active, follow these steps:

Step 1: Request Facebook to suspend the account

• Request Facebook to suspend the account : Ask Facebook to suspend the cloned account.

Step 2: File a police report

• Contact your local authorities : Contact your local authorities and file a police report about the cloned account.
• Provide evidence : Provide evidence of the cloned account, such as screenshots and login activity.

What to do if you’re unable to access your account

If you’re unable to access your account due to the cloned account, follow these steps:

Step 1: Contact Facebook support

• Go to Facebook’s support page : Go to Facebook’s support page and click on "Report a problem".
• Choose the issue : Choose the issue you’re experiencing, such as "I’m unable to access my account".

Step 2: Follow Facebook’s instructions

• Follow Facebook’s instructions : Follow Facebook’s instructions to regain access to your account.

Prevention is the best cure

To prevent your Facebook account from being cloned, follow these best practices:

• Use a strong and unique password : Use a strong and unique password for your Facebook account.
• Monitor your account regularly : Monitor your account regularly for any suspicious activity.

Having your Facebook account cloned can be a stressful and frustrating experience. However, by following the steps outlined in this article, you can take control of the situation and secure your account. Remember to always be vigilant and monitor your account regularly to prevent any future cloning attempts.

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