How to Report Fake Social Media Profiles India (2025–2026)

Imagine someone creates a fake Facebook profile using your photographs and starts soliciting money from your contacts. This is a common form of online impersonation in India — and the law gives you clear, parallel routes to act: an online complaint at the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, in-platform reporting, a written grievance to the platform's India Grievance Officer, and an FIR with the police. Acting fast matters, because fake profiles are often deleted by the fraudster once they suspect reporting.

Citizen Crisis Response Network
Fake profiles lead to extortion, reputation damage, and financial fraud. Report as early as possible to freeze evidence. Use the Cyber Crime Portal (cybercrime.gov.in), platform-native tools, and a local police FIR in parallel—never wait.

To report a fake social media profile in India: 1) Screenshot all evidence (profile, posts, messages). 2) File an online complaint at cybercrime.gov.in (National Cybercrime Reporting Portal) as early as possible. 3) Use in-platform reporting (Facebook/Instagram/X “Report” function). 4) Lodge an FIR at the local Cyber Cell — cheating by personation is BNS Section 319, and where money is dishonestly obtained from your contacts, BNS Section 318(4) (cheating, the old IPC 420). 5) Send a written grievance to the platform's Resident Grievance Officer under the IT Rules 2021. 6) Preserve acknowledgment receipts. 7) Follow up regularly until the profile is removed and police act.

• Why fake profiles are a criminal offense in India
• Which laws apply—BNS sections you must cite
• Step 1: Collect and preserve digital evidence
• Step 2: Report through National Cybercrime Reporting Portal
• Step 3: Platform-specific reporting (Facebook Instagram X LinkedIn)
• Step 4: Lodge FIR with local Cyber Cell
• Step 5: Grievance officer notice under IT Rules 2021
• What the police investigation involves
• Sample FIR complaint text for fake profile
• Touchpoints: When to escalate
• Frequently asked questions
• Myth vs reality table

Creating or operating a fake social media profile that impersonates another person, uses stolen photographs, or defrauds third parties is punishable under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 (BNS), which came into force on 1 July 2024 and replaced the Indian Penal Code. Cheating offences are cognizable (police can register and investigate without a magistrate's prior order), and the gravity rises if the fake profile is used for extortion, defamation, or financial fraud. Stricter digital-evidence procedures now apply under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 (BNSS) and the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023, the new code of evidence that replaced the Indian Evidence Act.

Fake profiles harm individuals through reputation damage, financial loss (fraudulent loan applications, scams targeting contacts), matrimonial fraud, and blackmail. Women and public figures are disproportionately targeted. The Information Technology Act 2000 remains fully in force, and the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 impose obligations on social media platforms to act on grievances, failing which platforms risk losing safe-harbour immunity under Section 79 of the IT Act.

Warning — If the fake profile solicits money, shares intimate images, or threatens violence, additional and more serious BNS provisions apply — including Section 308 (extortion), Section 356 (defamation), and Section 296 (obscene acts). Treat such cases as urgent and report immediately.

Reporting mechanisms have improved significantly: the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in), managed by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), offers complaint tracking and routing to State Cyber Cells. Citizens receive an acknowledgment number on filing, and jurisdictional police follow up with the complainant.

When filing a complaint or FIR, the following BNS provisions are the ones that typically apply to a fake-profile case:

• Section 319 — Cheating by personation (impersonation). Imprisonment up to 5 years, or fine, or both. This is the core offence when a fake profile pretends to be you.
• Section 318(4) — Cheating that dishonestly induces delivery of property (the provision corresponding to the old IPC Section 420). Imprisonment up to 7 years and fine. Applies when the fake profile actually obtains money or property from your contacts.
• Section 336 — Forgery. Where the forgery is intended to be used for cheating, Section 336(3) provides for imprisonment up to 7 years and fine. Relevant if forged documents, photos, or credentials are used.
• Section 356 — Defamation. If the fake profile posts defamatory content about you or others.
• Section 308 — Extortion. If the fake profile demands money or favours, or threatens harm.
• Section 296 — Obscene acts. If the fake profile shares morphed intimate images or obscene messages.

Under the BNSS, you can report a cognizable offence at any police station in India irrespective of where the offence was committed (Section 173) — this is the “Zero FIR” mechanism, and the receiving station must forward it to the jurisdictional Cyber Cell. This removes the old barrier where citizens were turned away for “jurisdiction” reasons.

Additionally, the IT Act 2000 Section 66C (identity theft) and Section 66D (cheating by personation using a computer resource) apply directly to online impersonation, and remain in force alongside the BNS. Courts accept parallel charges under both the BNS and the IT Act.

Citizen tip — Cite both the relevant BNS sections and the IT Act 2000 sections in your FIR so the investigating officer applies the strongest applicable law.

Digital evidence is fragile—fake profiles are often deleted within hours once the fraudster suspects reporting. Act immediately:

Screenshots (mandatory)

• Full profile page showing profile photo, cover photo, username, URL, bio, and “About” section.
• All posts, especially those impersonating you, soliciting money, or defaming.
• Comments and reactions if they show engagement or victim interaction.
• Private messages or chat threads (screenshot entire conversation thread with timestamps).
• Friend/follower list if accessible (shows scale of fraud).

Metadata preservation

• Copy the exact profile URL (e.g., facebook.com/fake.profile.12345).
• Note date and time of discovery.
• Record your own profile URL for comparison.
• Use the browser “Save Page As” (Ctrl+S) to save the HTML source—this captures metadata that can support authenticity.

Third-party evidence

• If contacts received fraud messages, request they screenshot and forward to you.
• If money was transferred, collect bank statements, UPI transaction IDs, screenshots of payment requests.
• Email or SMS logs if the fraudster contacted anyone outside the platform.

Save all files in a dedicated folder with clear naming (e.g., “FakeProfile_Evidence_2026-03-15”). Keep a backup on cloud storage with timestamps. Print one hard copy set for police submission.

Do this immediately — Use a screen-recording app (Windows Game Bar, macOS QuickTime, mobile screen recorder) to capture a live video walkthrough of the fake profile. A video can show real-time content that static screenshots may miss and helps reduce later claims of fabrication.

The National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (https://cybercrime.gov.in) is the first and fastest channel. It is managed by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), Ministry of Home Affairs, and routes complaints to State and Union Territory Cyber Cells.

Filing process (about 10 minutes)

1. Visit https://cybercrime.gov.in. 2. Click “Report Other Cyber Crime” (or “Report Cyber Crime Related to Women/Children” if intimate images are involved). 3. Choose to file anonymously or to log in (login via mobile OTP is better for follow-up). 4. Select the complaint category that most closely matches online impersonation / social-media fraud (the portal's category labels are revised from time to time; choose the closest match). 5. Fill the mandatory fields:

• Incident details: Date, time, platform name (Facebook/Instagram/X/LinkedIn/other).
• Suspect details: Fake profile URL, username, any known phone/email used.
• Loss/Impact: Financial loss amount (₹), reputation damage, threat type.
• Evidence upload: Attach screenshots in the formats and size limits the portal allows.

6. Submit, and note the Acknowledgment Number.

You receive an SMS and email confirmation, and the complaint is routed to your State Cyber Cell. Jurisdictional police follow up with you for physical evidence collection or FIR registration.

Tip — Reporting on the portal runs in parallel with your platform grievance and your FIR. Pursuing all three together generally produces faster takedown than relying on any one channel.

Track your complaint: Login to cybercrime.gov.in → “Track Your Complaint” → enter the acknowledgment number to see status updates.

Use in-platform reporting tools simultaneously with the Cybercrime Portal. Significant social media intermediaries have India-based Grievance Officers under the IT Rules 2021, and impersonation content is in the category for which the Rules require expedited removal.

Facebook / Meta (Facebook & Instagram)

• Visit the fake profile.
• Click the three-dot menu (•••) → “Find support or report profile”.
• Choose “Pretending to be someone” → “Me” → upload government ID proof (Aadhaar, PAN, Passport) to prove you are the real person.
• Submit. Meta reviews impersonation reports and disables the profile if the evidence is clear.
• Meta publishes a grievance-redressal channel and Grievance Officer contact for India users; use the current contact listed on Meta's India grievance page, with the subject line “Urgent: Impersonation Report – [Your Name]” and attach evidence plus your Cybercrime Portal acknowledgment number.

X (formerly Twitter)

• Visit the fake profile → click the three-dot icon → “Report” → “They're pretending to be me or someone else”.
• Fill the form with your verified account details or ID proof.
• Use the current Grievance Officer contact published on X's India grievance page, with the subject “Impersonation – Urgent Legal Complaint”.

Instagram

• Same Meta process as Facebook. Use the in-app “Report” → “It's pretending to be someone else” → upload ID.
• Instagram has a dedicated impersonation form: visit https://help.instagram.com/contact/636276399721841 (works logged out) to report even if you don't have an Instagram account yourself.

LinkedIn

• Visit the fake profile → click “More” → “Report / Block” → “Fake profile”.
• Use LinkedIn's published India grievance/legal contact to send your complaint with evidence and your Cybercrime acknowledgment.

Most citizens miss this — Under the IT Rules 2021, the platform's Grievance Officer must acknowledge your complaint within 24 hours and resolve it within 15 days; for impersonation and morphed/intimate content (Rule 3(2)(b)), the Rules require the content to be removed within 24 hours. If the Grievance Officer's response does not satisfy you (or you get no response), you can appeal to the Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) set up by the Government within 30 days.

An FIR (First Information Report) under the BNSS is the trigger for criminal prosecution. A Cybercrime Portal complaint is administrative; the FIR triggers formal investigation and arrest powers.

How to lodge

• Visit your district/city Cyber Cell or nearest police station. Under BNSS Section 173 (Zero FIR), any police station in India must record information about a cognizable offence regardless of jurisdiction.
• Carry:
  • Printed evidence bundle (screenshots, chat logs, bank statements).
  • Cybercrime Portal acknowledgment printout.
  • Your government ID (Aadhaar, PAN, Passport).
  • Written complaint (see sample below).
• Insist on FIR registration. Police cannot refuse to register an FIR for a cognizable offence. If refused, cite BNSS Section 173 and escalate to the senior officer or duty magistrate.

What to expect

• For a cognizable offence, information must be recorded and an FIR registered; you are entitled to a free copy of the FIR.
• An investigating officer (IO) is assigned to the case.
• The IO records your detailed statement; a statement before a Magistrate can be recorded under BNSS Section 183.

Warning — If the police delay or refuse to register an FIR, you can file a private complaint before the jurisdictional Magistrate under BNSS Section 223, and the Magistrate can direct the police to register and investigate. You can also approach the State Cyber Crime Nodal Officer (contact directory at https://cybercrime.gov.in).

After the FIR, send a formal written grievance to the platform's Resident Grievance Officer (RGO) in India. The IT Rules 2021 require every significant social media intermediary to appoint an India-based Grievance Officer and to acknowledge grievances within 24 hours and resolve them within 15 days (with faster removal for impersonation/intimate content under Rule 3(2)(b)).

Format (send via email + speed post to the RGO's registered address):

To,
The Resident Grievance Officer
[Platform Name – e.g., the entity named on the platform's India grievance page]
[Registered Address – find it on the platform's India grievance/compliance page]

Subject: Legal Notice – Immediate Removal of Fake/Impersonation Profile – IT Rules 2021 Rule 3(2)(b)

Ref: FIR No. [XXX/2026], Police Station [Name], Cybercrime Portal Ack. No. [ack number]

Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]

Madam/Sir,

I, [Your Full Name], residing at [Address], Aadhaar No. [XXXX XXXX XXXX], hereby lodge a formal grievance under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, Rule 3(1)(d) and 3(2)(b).

FACTS:
1. A fake profile impersonating me has been created on your platform with URL: [Fake Profile URL].
2. The profile uses my name, photographs, and personal information without consent.
3. The profile has been used to [solicit money / defame / harass] [list specific harm].
4. I have filed FIR No. [XXX/2026] dated [DD/MM/YYYY] at [Police Station] under BNS Sections 319, 318(4), 336, 356 and IT Act Section 66C/66D.
5. Cybercrime Portal Complaint No. [ack number] filed on [DD/MM/YYYY].

LEGAL DEMAND:
Under the IT Rules 2021, Rule 3(2)(b), you are required to:
a) Acknowledge this grievance within 24 hours.
b) Remove/disable the impersonation profile within the time prescribed by Rule 3(2)(b).
c) Provide IP logs, device IDs, and account-creation metadata to the investigating officer [IO Name, Phone] at [Police Station], on receipt of lawful process.

CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE:
Failure to comply may result in:
i) Loss of safe-harbour immunity under IT Act Section 79.
ii) Escalation to the Grievance Appellate Committee under the IT Rules 2021.
iii) A civil suit for reputation harm and mental agony.

Evidence annexed: [List screenshots, FIR copy, Cybercrime acknowledgment].

I expect written confirmation of profile removal to my email [your email] and mobile [your phone].

Yours faithfully,
[Your Name]
[Signature]
[Date]

Keep proof of delivery (email read receipt, speed post tracking). If the Grievance Officer does not respond or you are dissatisfied with the response, escalate to the Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) within 30 days.

Once an FIR is registered, the investigating officer (IO) will typically:

Early steps

• Record your detailed statement (a statement before a Magistrate may be recorded under BNSS Section 183).
• Issue notice to the platform's India office for disclosure of subscriber information, IP logs and metadata, using lawful process (IT Act Section 69/69B and the applicable BNSS provisions for production of documents and electronic records).
• Ask the platform to preserve/freeze the fake profile and associated data.

Tracing the suspect

• Obtain the platform's technical data (IP address, device ID, login timestamps, linked email/phone).
• Trace the suspect via ISP records, payment trails (if money was involved), or other digital footprints.
• Record statements of affected contacts/victims.

Arrest and forensics

• Arrest the suspect if identified — cheating offences are cognizable. Whether the offence is bailable depends on the specific section and the facts.
• Send digital evidence to the State Forensic Science Laboratory (SFSL) Cyber Division for authentication.

Completing the investigation

• File the chargesheet before the Magistrate within the time limits prescribed by the BNSS, or seek an extension where the law allows. Under the BNSS, the IO is also required to keep the informant/victim updated on the progress of the investigation (Section 193 provides for informing the victim of progress within 90 days).

Citizen tip — As a victim, you are entitled to be supplied copies of the police report and the documents the prosecution relies on (BNSS Section 230), and to track the case. You can also engage an advocate to represent your interests during the trial.

You can check investigation status via your State Police citizen portal (for example, https://citizen.mahapolice.gov.in for Maharashtra) or by filing an RTI application to the Police Station under the RTI Act 2005 asking for the “Status of FIR No. XXX/2026 investigation as on [date].”

Use this template at the Cyber Cell or police station:

To,
The Station House Officer / Cyber Cell In-Charge
[Police Station Name]
[City, State]

Subject: Complaint for Registration of FIR – Fake Social Media Profile / Impersonation / Cheating

Date: [DD/MM/YYYY]

Sir/Madam,

I, [Your Full Name], S/o or D/o [Parent Name], aged [XX] years, residing at [Full Address], Aadhaar No. [XXXX XXXX XXXX], Mobile [10-digit], Email [your email], hereby lodge a complaint under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 Sections 319, 318(4), 336, 356 and IT Act 2000 Sections 66C and 66D against unknown person(s) for the following criminal acts:

FACTS IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER:

1. On [DD/MM/YYYY], I discovered a fake profile on [Facebook / Instagram / X / LinkedIn] with URL [paste full URL].

2. The profile uses my name "[Your Name]", my photographs [specify which photos – e.g., profile picture taken in 2024 at Delhi], and falsely claims to be me.

3. The fake profile has [XXX] friends/followers and has posted [number] posts/messages impersonating me.

4. Specifically, the profile has:
   a) Sent messages to my contacts [Name 1, Name 2] soliciting money of ₹[amount] on [date] for a false emergency [attach screenshots].
   b) Posted defamatory content stating "[quote exact defamatory text]" on [date], damaging my reputation [attach screenshot].
   c) Shared morphed/intimate images without consent on [date] [attach screenshot if applicable and non-explicit].

5. My contact [Victim Name, Phone] transferred ₹[amount] to UPI ID [fraudster UPI] / Bank Account [fraudster account number] on [date] believing the fake profile to be me [attach bank statement / UPI screenshot].

6. I have filed an online complaint at the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in) on [date] and received Acknowledgment No. [ack number].

7. I have reported the profile to [Platform Name] Grievance Officer on [date] via email [mention email] but the profile remains active as of [today's date].

OFFENCES COMMITTED:

The accused has committed offences punishable under:
- BNS Section 319: Cheating by personation – up to 5 years + fine.
- BNS Section 318(4): Cheating, dishonestly inducing delivery of property – up to 7 years + fine.
- BNS Section 336: Forgery (Section 336(3) where intended for cheating – up to 7 years + fine).
- BNS Section 356: Defamation.
- IT Act 2000 Section 66C: Identity theft – up to 3 years + fine up to ₹1 lakh.
- IT Act 2000 Section 66D: Cheating by personation using a computer resource – up to 3 years + fine up to ₹1 lakh.

PRAYER:

I request you to:
1. Register an FIR immediately under the above sections.
2. Seek preservation/freezing of the fake profile data.
3. Issue notice to [Platform Name] India for IP logs, device ID, subscriber details.
4. Trace and arrest the accused.
5. Recover the fraudulent amount of ₹[XXX] from the accused.
6. Provide me with the FIR copy and case number for legal proceedings.

I enclose the following evidence:
- Annexure A: Screenshots of fake profile.
- Annexure B: Screenshots of fraud messages/posts.
- Annexure C: Bank statement / UPI transaction proof.
- Annexure D: Cybercrime Portal acknowledgment.
- Annexure E: My government ID proof (Aadhaar / PAN copy).

I am ready to provide further evidence and testify as required.

Yours faithfully,

[Your Signature]
[Your Name]
[Date]

Mobile: [10-digit]
Email: [your email]

Print on plain paper, sign, attach annexures, and submit. Insist on receiving a stamped acknowledgment copy immediately.

If FIR refused or delayed

• Approach the Superintendent of Police (Cyber) or the State Cyber Crime Nodal Officer (contact directory at https://cybercrime.gov.in).
• File a private complaint before the jurisdictional Magistrate under BNSS Section 223; the Magistrate can direct the police to register and investigate.
• Send a written representation to the State DGP citing the duty to register an FIR for a cognizable offence under BNSS Section 173.

If the investigation stalls

• File an RTI application to the Police Station asking for the investigation status.
• Approach the supervising officer or the Magistrate seized of the matter.

If the platform does not remove the profile

• Escalate to the Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) under the IT Rules 2021 within 30 days.
• Where warranted, file a writ petition in the High Court under Article 226.

Note on free speech and impersonation — The Supreme Court in Shreya Singhal v. Union of India (2015) 5 SCC 1 struck down Section 66A of the IT Act as unconstitutionally vague, while upholding the framework under which intermediaries act on valid legal process. Impersonation and fraud are not protected speech, and remain punishable under the BNS and the IT Act.

Yes. You do not need an account to report impersonation. Use the platform's external reporting forms (e.g., Instagram's impersonation form at https://help.instagram.com/contact/636276399721841). File a Cybercrime Portal complaint and an FIR regardless of whether you have an account.

It depends on the strength of the evidence. With clear IP logs and payment trails, tracing can move quickly; complex cases involving VPNs or overseas servers take longer. The investigating officer works within the timelines and procedures laid down by the BNSS.

No. Platforms share technical data with the police or a court under lawful process (such as IT Act Section 69 or a court order), not directly with you. The police use this data to trace the suspect.

You may have a civil remedy if a platform fails to act on a valid grievance as required by the IT Rules 2021. Speak to a lawyer about a claim for damages for negligence and the harm caused; the strength of such a claim depends on the facts and the platform's compliance record.

File an FIR and a Cybercrime Portal complaint in India. Indian agencies coordinate with Interpol and CERT-In for cross-border cases, and intermediaries are required to comply with lawful Indian process. Tracing and action on overseas suspects can take longer.

Yes, fraudsters often create multiple profiles. Report each new profile immediately, reference your earlier complaints and FIR, and ask the platform to act against repeat impersonation. Monitor periodically.

No. Both are citizen-direct processes. A cybercrime lawyer helps if the police refuse an FIR or the investigation stalls, and can file a private complaint or a writ petition and represent you in court.

Yes. A criminal court can order compensation to a victim under the BNSS victim-compensation provisions (Sections 395 and 396, read with the State victim compensation scheme). You may also file a separate civil defamation suit claiming damages.

Fake social media profiles destroy reputations, defraud innocents, and violate dignity. India's legal framework—BNS, BNSS, the IT Act 2000 and the IT Rules 2021—provides real protection, but citizen action is the trigger. Report as early as possible, use all three channels (Cybercrime Portal, platform reporting, FIR) in parallel, preserve evidence carefully, and follow up. Police and platforms respond when you cite the law, attach proof, and escalate systematically. Do not suffer in silence—the Citizen Crisis Response Network exists to empower you with knowledge, templates, and statutory tools to reclaim your identity and seek justice.

• RTI Drafter (AI Assistant) — https://righttoinformation.wiki/tools/rti-assistant (draft an RTI application to the Police Station for investigation status)
• PIO Reply Checker — https://righttoinformation.wiki/tools/pio-reply-checker (check whether a police response to your RTI is legally compliant)
• Citizen Crisis Response Network — https://righttoinformation.wiki/citizen-crisis-response-network (hub for emergency legal + statutory response guides)
• RTI Act 2005 Complete Guide — https://righttoinformation.wiki/rti-act-2005-complete-guide (understand transparency rights to track a cybercrime investigation)