How To Tell If a Facebook Profile is Fake (and What To Do)

Are You Dealing With an Imposter on Facebook?

New profiles, stock or stolen profile photos, and suspicious messages and posts containing hidden links are all signs indicating that you’re dealing with a fake Facebook profile. 

Since October 2017, Meta has removed over 32 billion fake Facebook accounts — including 2.9 billion in the first nine months of 2024 alone. 

But why are scammers creating so many phony accounts?

Here's how con artists are using fake Facebook profiles:

• Impersonate people on your friend list in order to trick you into sending them money
• Send friend requests to view your profile and gather information to scam you
• Buy and sell large Facebook audiences to businesses or other Facebook pages
• Upvote misleading ads, post fake reviews, or spread misinformation and false news stories 
• Promote recovery scams in posts about losses sustained from identity theft or fraud
• Post job scams and fake listings on Facebook Marketplace

The best way to stay safe on social media platforms is to tighten your privacy settings and only accept friend requests from people you know in real life. But for businesses, influencers, and those networking online (where this isn’t always an option), it’s important to learn how to recognize fake accounts before they can do damage.

🤔 Test your ability to spot online scammers with Aura’s spot the scam quiz →

How To Spot a Fake Facebook Account

Any unexpected friend request on social media should be viewed with caution. Follow these steps if you’re unsure whether or not you’re dealing with a fake friend, contact, or Marketplace seller on Facebook.

Look for warning signs of fake or stolen profile photos 

Scammers use images of attractive models or public figures to dupe people into online relationships. In 2025, a French woman made headlines after being conned out of $855,000 by someone posing as Brad Pitt. If you get a friend request from a profile displaying a professional-looking image, it could be a stock image, stolen from someone else’s profile, or even an AI-generated photo. 

Pro tip: Use a reverse image search. Copy and paste the profile picture into Google Image Search to see if it appears on multiple profiles with different names or on other websites. 

Review their biographical information and recent activity

Scammers create thousands of fake profiles to overwhelm Facebook’s security checks. Typically, many fake profiles don’t depict much history or activity, which makes them easier to spot.

Here’s what to watch out for:

• Recent account creation. Look at when the profile was created and whether it has been consistently active. A new account with very few Facebook friends is a warning sign.
• Limited photos and content. Consider the lack of a profile picture or only a handful of images as red flags. Scammers avoid adding too many personal details in order to make their accounts harder to track.
• Poor spelling and grammar. If prospective friends claim to speak English as their first language but frequently make spelling and grammar mistakes in their content and messages, be cautious before accepting their requests.

📚 Related: The Worst Facebook Scams Happening Right Now →

Dig into their friends, connections, and groups

Scammers sometimes build a network of multiple fake profiles that interact with each other or use bots for commenting to make their profiles and backstory seem more convincing. 

The Netflix documentary Sweet Bobby tells the true story of a woman who was caught in an almost decade-long catfishing scam involving over 50 fake Facebook profiles. The elaborate romance scam was all the work of the victim’s younger cousin. 

Most real profiles have a balanced mix of friends, family, and colleagues — many of whom are also active users on Facebook with clear histories and proof they are real people.

Look at the profile’s friend list, and the groups in which they’re active, to try to figure out if they are credible people. If the user frequently engages with the same small number of friends who also seem suspicious, it’s best to err on the side of caution. 

Check if their account name doesn’t match the URL

Scammers can change the display name on their Facebook profiles to try and trick you into thinking you’re communicating with a family member or old friend. However, the account’s original URL will stay the same — giving you a clue to the person’s real identity. 

When you get a suspicious message or friend request, check to see if the account name matches the URL. You can do this by visiting their Facebook profile and looking at the web address in the URL bar (e.g., facebook.com/username). If the profile name and URL username don’t match, the account could be stolen.

Make sure it isn’t someone posing as a legitimate friend

Scammers can use fake accounts (or take over legitimate accounts) to target friends and family members connected to the person they’re impersonating. 

In 2024, scammers took over the Facebook account of Myrtle Beach resident Bill Judy and posted second-hand items for sale. The victim’s friend almost fell for the impersonation scam before realizing what was happening. 

Here’s what to do if you see suspicious activity on your friend’s account: 

• Reach out directly. If you’re unsure about whether or not you’re dealing with a real account, contact your friend by using a different method — such as a phone call, email, or text message. 
• Ask mutual friends. If you can’t get in touch with the person directly, share the profile link with others who presumably know the person to see if they think it's fake.
• Beware of unusual messages from long-lost friends. If someone you haven’t spoken to in years suddenly sends a message asking you to click on a link or “check something out,” don’t do it. Chances are that it’s a fake profile or your friend’s page has been hacked. 

Be cautious of strange direct messages (DMs)

Many online con jobs begin with a simple DM — such as, “hi, how are you?” — but messages like this are bait. Other approaches include warnings about your bank account, an Amazon delivery, or Facebook account security. 

Whatever the approach, the goal is the same: to get you to reply. But if it’s not from a friend or family member whom you trust, you should tread carefully to avoid falling for a scam.

Watch out for these warning signs:

• A false sense of urgency. Fraudsters hope to find vulnerable people who panic and make decisions without thinking. If your “new friend” is using coercive methods to get you to do something quickly (so you won’t have time to research the situation or tell anyone else), consider this a telltale sign of a scam.
• Requests for money or sensitive information. Scammers often claim they’re dealing with an emergency or are in serious trouble that requires financial assistance, and they’ll ask you to help by sending money. 
• Messages claiming you’ve won a prize. Facebook does not notify users about winnings through Facebook Messenger. If you receive a message claiming that you’ve won a giveaway or lottery, ignore it.

📚 Related: How To Tell If Your Facebook Account Has Been Hacked →

Take caution when you see too-good-to-be-true deals on Marketplace

Fraudulent listings, fake job postings, and misleading offers are rife on Facebook Marketplace. Luckily, most Facebook Marketplace scams and fake profiles have similar red flags: 

• Too-good-to-be-true deals. If an item is significantly cheaper than usual, be cautious. Scammers offer ultra-low prices and huge discounts as bait to lure buyers.
• Suspicious photos. If a seller uses photos that come from a website listing of the product — rather than snapshots of the second-hand item in their home — they may not actually have what they're selling.
• Urgent requests for payment outside of Facebook. Avoid sellers that ask for wire transfers, gift cards, or payment through third-party apps, as these payment methods are harder to trace — often making it impossible to recover lost funds. Also, scammers may rush you into making a deposit or transferring money before you’ve seen the item in person, as they want to collect cash before you or Facebook discovers the fraud. 

How To Report and Protect Yourself From Social Media Scammers

If you think you’re dealing with a phony Facebook user or account, you can take steps to report the scammer and protect yourself. Here’s what to do: 

• Report it to Facebook. Use Facebook’s automated reporting feature to report the profile. Go to the fake account’s profile page, click on the three-dot menu below the cover photo, and then Report profile. Select a reason for reporting, such as “Pretending to be someone” or “Fake account,” and then click on Submit report.
• Tighten your privacy settings. You should be careful about what you share online. Protect yourself by adjusting privacy settings on all of your social media accounts to limit who can see your personal information — such as by setting most profile details to "Friends Only." 
• Think before you share online. If you post details about your life online, you could give scammers enough information to target you with phishing scams. Fraudsters can even use your photos, videos, and voice clips to launch sophisticated attacks with deepfake technology.  
• Limit the information you share in your “About” section. You could face social media privacy risks even if you adjust your privacy settings. Never include details such as your location, education history, mobile phone number, or home address on your Facebook profile. 
• Improve password hygiene. Strong passwords make it significantly harder for hackers to access your account. Create a unique password by using at least 13 characters comprising a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. Also, enable two-factor authentication (2FA) with an authenticator app to add an extra security layer.
• Never send money or financial information to strangers you meet online. It’s crucial to keep your financial details safe. Don’t share 2FA codes, banking details, or account passwords with anyone.

Staying safe online requires a critical eye — but with sophisticated scammers using AI technology and social engineering tactics, anyone can become a victim. 

Aura helps keep you safe and private online with advanced digital security tools, online account monitoring, data broker removal, 24/7 U.S.-based support, identity theft insurance coverage, and more.