How to Report a Person on Facebook Who is Not a Friend
By Avery Martin
Reporting someone on Facebook is considered a serious action, and you need to ensure that your reasons for reporting the person are justified. While your reports are anonymous, a misdirected report can cause that person's account to become disabled. If someone has a fake account, posts pornography, hate speech, threats, bullies or otherwise infringes on the rights of others, you can report the profile to Facebook for review. There are two methods to report a profile: by logging in, locating the profile and selecting the option to report the account, or by submitting an online form without logging in. The online form should be used only by individuals who do not have a Facebook account.
Reporting With Facebook Account
Step 1
Log in to your Facebook account and navigate to the offending person's timeline.
Step 2
Click the "Settings" gear icon on the Facebook timeline attached to the Messages button.
Step 3
Click the "Report/Block" option.
Step 4
Select a reason for reporting the person from the available options. If the profile is fake, select an option for the person the profile impersonates.
Step 5
Click "Continue" and add a description for why you're reporting the timeline.
Step 6
Check the "I Confirm That This Report Is Correct" box.
Step 7
Click "Continue."
Report Without a Facebook Account
Step 1
Navigate to the "Report an Imposter Account" website (link in Resources). Make sure you are not logged in. This report is for people that want to report a fake Facebook account, but do not have a Facebook account themselves. For example, use this form if you know of someone who is impersonating you on Facebook, but you don't have an account of your own.
Step 2
Select an option for why you are reporting a profile in the What Issue Are You Experiencing drop-down field. The only option you can submit with this form is "This Person Is Pretending To Be Me or a Friend." The other options provide links to additional forms. If you need to select another form, click the link and fill out the requested information.
Step 3
Complete the remaining fields and answer each question on the form you have selected and click the "Send" button.
References
Writer Bio
Avery Martin holds a Bachelor of Music in opera performance and a Bachelor of Arts in East Asian studies. As a professional writer, she has written for Education.com, Samsung and IBM. Martin contributed English translations for a collection of Japanese poems by Misuzu Kaneko. She has worked as an educator in Japan, and she runs a private voice studio out of her home. She writes about education, music and travel.