SCARS Institute Guide – Takedown Fake Websites & Fake Profiles

The SCARS Institute Fake Website and Social Media Takedown Guide

How to get a scam website or an impostor social media account removed, step by step

You found a website that copies a real business, or a Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, or TikTok account pretending to be you, someone you know, or a real company. You want it taken down. This guide walks you through exactly how to do that, in plain language, without needing a lawyer, a technician, or an account on the platform.

Takedowns work because every website has a registrar and a host that must act on abuse reports, and every major social platform bans impersonation in its rules. You do not need permission. You need the right link, the right details, and a report that makes the reviewer’s job easy.

Three things to know before you start

1. First, do not contact, confront, or warn the scammer. They will move the site or account before you can report it.
2. Second, a takedown removes the fake, but it does not recover money, and it does not stop the criminal from making a new one. Report the crime separately. See the end of this guide.
3. Third, save your evidence before you report anything. The fake may disappear the moment it is flagged, and you will want the proof later.

This guide describes the reporting paths as of September 2026. Platforms change their menus often. If a button described here has moved, search the platform’s own help center for “report impersonation,” and you will find the current path.

PART 1: BEFORE YOU REPORT, BUILD YOUR EVIDENCE KIT

Ten minutes here saves days later. Fakes vanish when reported, and platforms and police will ask for proof.

Capture:

• Full-page screenshots of the fake (profile, posts, bio, website pages)
• The exact address (URL) of the fake, copied from the address bar
• The exact address of the real one, if the fake copies someone
• Screenshots of any messages the fake sent, with dates visible
• Any payment requests, wallet addresses, or links it sent

Record:

• The date and time you found it
• How you found it (a message, a friend, a search)
• Names of anyone else it contacted
• Whether any money was lost, and how much
• Keep it all in one folder on your computer or phone

Screenshot tip: include the address bar and the date in every screenshot. On a phone, take the screenshot with the profile name and handle visible at the top. Do not crop.

PART 2: TAKING DOWN A FAKE OR CLONED WEBSITE

Every website depends on two companies that must respond to abuse reports: the registrar that sold the domain name and the host that serves the pages.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure that what you want to report is an actual fake. Intentional false reporting is a Federal crime and a civil offense.

Step 1: Identify the real website and the fake one

Scam sites copy a real business and change the address slightly. Look for extra words, a different ending (.co, .net, .shop instead of .com), swapped letters, or a hyphen. For example, the real site is example-bank.com and the fake is example-bank-secure-login.co. Screenshot both address bars.

Step 2: Look up who registered and who hosts the fake site

This is public information, and it is free. Go to lookup.icann.org (or whois.com) and paste in the fake address without “https://” or “www.” Write down two things from the results:

• Registrar: the company that sold the domain name (for example, GoDaddy, IONOS, Namecheap, Tucows). The result usually shows an abuse email address right there.
• Name servers: these point to the company hosting or protecting the site (for example, Cloudflare, AWS, Google). The name server address ends in that company’s domain.

If the registrar is hidden behind a privacy service, report to the privacy service listed. It is required to forward abuse complaints.

Step 3: Find each company’s abuse reporting page

Search the web for the company name plus “report abuse” (for example, “Cloudflare report abuse” or “Namecheap report abuse”). Every registrar and host has a page or an email for this. If the WHOIS result already shows an abuse email, use it. Bookmark both pages, because you will report to both.

Step 4: File a report with the registrar and with the host

Report to both, not one. If the form asks you to pick a category, choose Phishing or Fraud. If it asks for the “original” site being copied, give the real address. Attach your screenshots if the form allows it.

What to put in the report:

• The fake address, exactly as it appears
• The real address it is copying, if any
• One or two sentences on what it does: collects logins, takes payments, impersonates a company, sends people to a scam
• Whether you or others lost money, and roughly how much
• How the reviewer can confirm it in thirty seconds (for example, “the contact page lists a phone number that belongs to the real company”)

Step 5: Report the site to the browser safety lists

This does not take the site down, but it makes Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge show a red warning to anyone who visits, which stops new victims while the takedown is processed.

• Google Safe Browsing: search “Google report phishing page” and submit the address
• Microsoft: search “Microsoft report unsafe site” and submit the address
• Your bank or the company being copied: most large companies have a “report phishing” email. They will file their own takedown, which carries more weight.

Step 6: Wait 24 to 72 hours, then escalate

Most confirmed scam sites come down within three days. If the site is still up after 72 hours, do three things: file the report again with the same details, report the domain to the registrar’s parent registry (search “ending] registry abuse,” for example, “.com registry abuse”), and report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov, which share data with hosting companies.

If the scammer moves it: scammers often re-create the site at a new address. Check a week later. If it is back, repeat the process. Each new domain has its own registrar and host.

PART 3: TAKING DOWN A FAKE SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT

Impostor accounts copy a real person’s name and photos to reach that person’s friends, or invent a person to reach strangers. Both are banned on every major platform.

First, tell the fake from the real

When an account copies a real person, there are two accounts with the same face. You must report the right one. Open both side by side and compare.

• Creation date. The real account has been around for years (Facebook: “About this profile”; X: the “Joined” date; LinkedIn and TikTok: look at the oldest post). The impostor was created days or weeks ago.
• Username or handle. The real one matches the name cleanly. The impostor adds numbers, underscores, a middle initial, or a swapped letter (jane.smith vs jane_smith_01).
• Friends and followers. The real account has hundreds, many of them people you both know. The impostor has a handful, often with no mutual friends, or thousands that look bought.
• Posts. The real account has years of ordinary posts, comments, and tags by others. The impostor has a few photos copied from the real account, all posted the same day, with no comments.
• Behavior. The real person does not send friend requests to people already connected. The impostor sends a new request to existing friends, then messages asking to move to WhatsApp, Telegram, or email.
• Verification badge. The real account may have one (public figures and businesses). The impostor rarely does, and a badge drawn into the profile picture itself is fake.

Reverse image search: right-click the fake’s profile photo and choose “Search image with Google,” or use tineye.com. If the same photo appears under a different name on other sites, you have your answer, and you have evidence for the report.

If the fake is pretending to be you: post on your real account that someone is impersonating you and ask friends not to accept a second request from “you.” Then report. Your friends can report too, and multiple reports get faster attention. If you are a victim and the fake is the scammer’s own invented identity, you do not need to find a “real” account. Report it as a fake account or scam.

Who is allowed to report

Anyone can report an account from inside the app. The platforms’ separate impersonation forms (used when you have no account, or when in-app reports fail) generally accept reports only from the person being impersonated or their authorized representative, and they will ask for a photo of a government ID to prove it. Keep that in mind when choosing which route to use.

Facebook

In the app or on the website:

1. Open the fake profile or Page. If you blocked it, unblock it first, or the menu will not appear.
2. Tap the three dots under the cover photo.
3. Choose Find support or report (or Report profile / Report Page). (Use Google to find the current page)
4. Pick Pretending to be someone, then Me, A friend, or A celebrity or public figure. If it is an invented person, pick Fake account or Scam or fraud.
5. Follow the prompts and submit.

A message from the fake can also be reported: open the conversation, tap the name at the top, and choose Report.

No account, or the report failed: use Facebook’s impostor form. Search “Facebook report an impostor account” or go to facebook.com/help/contact/295309487309948. (Use Google to find the current page.) Choose “Someone created an account pretending to be me or a friend.” Only the impersonated person, or their parent or guardian, can complete it, and Facebook will ask for a photo ID.

For a business or organization: on the same form, choose “Someone created an account for my business or organization.” Registered trademark owners can also use Meta’s intellectual property report, which gets specialized handling.

Instagram

In the app or on the website:

1. Open the fake account’s profile.
2. Tap the three dots at the top right.
3. Tap Report, then Report account.
4. Choose It’s pretending to be someone else, then pick who: Me, Someone I know, A celebrity or public figure, or A business or organization.
5. Follow the prompts and submit. Reports are anonymous.

No account, or the report failed: use Instagram’s impersonation form. Search “Instagram report impersonation form” or go to help.instagram.com/contact/636276399721841. (Use Google to find the current page) Report one account per form. You will need the fake account’s username, the exact name shown on its profile, and a photo of the impersonated person holding a government ID with both the face and the ID clearly visible. Save it as a JPEG. If uploading from a phone fails, use a computer.

Instagram acts only on forms submitted by the person being impersonated or their representative. If the fake copies a friend, send the friend this form.

X (formerly Twitter)

In the app or on the website:

1. Open the fake account’s profile.
2. Tap the three dots at the top right and choose Report.
3. Choose They’re pretending to be me or someone else.
4. Pick who is impersonated: Me, Someone I represent, My company or brand, or Someone else.
5. Answer the follow-up questions and submit.

X allows clearly labeled parody and fan accounts. An account is a violation when it could mislead people into thinking it is the real person or company.

No account, or the report failed: use X’s impersonation form. Search “X report impersonation form” or go to help.x.com/forms/impersonation. (Use Google to find the current page.) You do not need an X account. Give the fake’s handle and profile link, say who is being impersonated, and explain in two sentences how the account misleads people. Reporting yourself or a company you represent will usually require ID or proof of authority.

LinkedIn

In the app or on the website:

1. Open the fake profile.
2. Click the More button (three dots) near the top of the profile.
3. Choose Report or Block.
4. Choose Report [name] or entire account (not a single post).
5. Pick Fake account or Impersonation as the reason, add a short explanation, and submit.

Before reporting, open About this profile on the fake to see when it was created and whether it has a verified work email. A profile created last month with a big title and no history is a strong sign.

No account, or the report failed: search “LinkedIn report a fake profile” to reach the Help Center form, which accepts reports without an account. (Use Google to find the current page.) LinkedIn also has a separate path for a fake company page and for a fake job posting. Pick the one that matches. Include the profile link, the real person’s profile link if one exists, and any messages the fake sent.

TikTok

In the app:

1. Open the fake account’s profile.
2. Tap the Share arrow or the three dots at the top right.
3. Tap Report, then Report account.
4. Choose Pretending to be someone, then pick who: Me, Someone I know, A celebrity, or A business.
5. Add details if asked and submit.

No account, or the report failed: go to TikTok’s support site and search “report a problem” or “impersonation” to reach the web form. (Use Google to find the current page.) You can file without an account. Include the fake’s username, the link to the profile, and screenshots. If the account is impersonating you, be ready to show ID.

Scam accounts on TikTok often push viewers to another app in the bio or comments. Screenshot that link before you report. It is the strongest evidence of fraud.

PART 4: WRITING A REPORT THAT GETS ACTED ON

A person, or a system trained by people, reads your report. Give them what they need to decide in under a minute.

Do:

• Lead with the fact: “This account is impersonating [name].”
• Give both links, real and fake
• Say what it is doing: sending friend requests to my contacts, asking for money, moving people to WhatsApp
• Say what was lost, if anything, in one line
• Point to one thing the reviewer can check quickly
• Keep it under 150 words

Do not:

• Tell the story of the scam from the beginning
• Describe how you feel. It is real, but it does not help the reviewer decide
• Threaten legal action or demand a deadline
• Report the same account ten times in an hour. Once, then again after 72 hours
• Include your own passwords, account numbers, or ID numbers in the text

Sample report text (copy and adjust):

This account, [link to fake], is impersonating [name], whose real account is [link to real]. It was created on or about [date], uses photos copied from the real account, and is sending friend requests and private messages to the real person’s contacts, asking them to move the conversation to WhatsApp and then requesting money. [Number] people have already been contacted and [amount] has been lost. You can confirm the impersonation by comparing the profile photos and by the creation date shown under “About this profile.” Screenshots are attached. Please remove the account.

PART 5: AFTER YOU REPORT

• Within 24 to 72 hours: most confirmed impostor accounts and phishing sites are removed. You may or may not get an email. Check the link yourself.
• After 72 hours, still up: report again with the same details. Ask two or three friends to report the same account. Use the platform’s form route if you only used the in-app route. For websites, report to the registry and to the company being copied.
• After one week, still up: impersonation of a business or of a person with a registered name can be escalated through the platform’s intellectual property or trademark report, which is handled by a different team. If money was lost, your police report number strengthens a resubmission.
• Any time: check again in a week. Scammers rebuild. Each new account or domain is a new report.

Report the crime, not just the account

Takedowns do not reach the criminal. If money was lost or someone was targeted, file at reportfraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov (United States), and with your local police, and give the report number to your bank. Outside the United States, use your national fraud reporting service. This creates the record that banks, platforms, and investigators rely on.

If You Are a Victim: A Takedown Is Not Recovery

Removing the fake is the right thing to do, and it protects the next person. It is also the easy part.

If you were the target of the account or website you just reported, you have been through a crime that was engineered to work on you, not a failure of intelligence. Most victims feel a rush of purpose while reporting and a crash afterward, when the account is gone, and the loss is still there. That is normal, and it is the point at which support matters most.

SCARS Institute resources:

• SCARScommunity.org: is the SCARS Institute’s free, safe, and confidential Scam Victim support, healing, and recovery community
• SCARSeducation.org: is the SCARS Institute Scam Survivor’s School free course
• AgainstScams.org: the SCARS Institute, victim support and recovery programs
• ScamsNOW.com: news and education on current scams
• RomanceScamsNOW.com: the SCARS Encyclopedia of Scams
• ScamPsychology.org: the Journal of Scam Psychology, on how scams affect the mind
• ScammerPhotos.com: the SCARS Institute scammer photos website

If you are in crisis: if you are thinking about harming yourself, contact your local emergency number or a crisis line now. In the United States, call or text 988. Scam victims are at elevated risk in the weeks after discovery, and reaching out is the strongest thing you can do.

Quick Reference

• Fake website: registrar and host abuse pages (find them via lookup.icann.org), Google Safe Browsing, Microsoft, and the company being copied
• Facebook: profile menu, Find support or report, Pretending to be someone. Form: facebook.com/help/contact/295309487309948
• Instagram: profile menu, Report, Report account, It’s pretending to be someone else. Form: help.instagram.com/contact/636276399721841
• X: profile menu, Report, They’re pretending to be me or someone else. Form: help.x.com/forms/impersonation
• LinkedIn: profile More menu, Report or block, Report entire account, Fake account or Impersonation. Form: search “LinkedIn report a fake profile”
• TikTok: profile Share or menu, Report, Report account, Pretending to be someone. Form: TikTok support, “report a problem”
• The crime: reportfraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov, local police, your bank
• Use Google to find the current pages.

Conclusion

Fake websites and impersonation accounts are not harmless annoyances. They are pieces of criminal infrastructure designed to create credibility, reach new victims, collect information, redirect conversations, steal credentials, request money, and extend fraud into new relationships. Removing them protects the person or organization being impersonated, but it also protects people who have not yet encountered the scam.

Successful takedown begins with evidence. Screenshots, URLs, messages, payment requests, dates, account details, and other records should be preserved before anything is reported because fraudulent sites and accounts can disappear quickly. Once the evidence is secured, victims and others reporting the fraud can use the registrar, hosting provider, browser safety systems, social media reporting tools, financial institutions, and appropriate government reporting systems to attack the infrastructure from several directions at once.

Persistence also matters. A rejected report or an account that remains online after the first submission does not mean the process has failed. Platforms change procedures, scammers rebuild accounts, domains move, and different reporting channels reach different review teams. Accurate documentation and measured escalation remain more effective than confrontation, repeated emotional appeals, or attempts to warn the criminal.

The most important distinction comes after the fake disappears. A successful takedown removes a tool used by the criminal, but it does not erase the crime, return stolen money, undo emotional harm, or complete a victim’s recovery. Victims still need to report the underlying crime and seek appropriate support for what happened to them.

Removing the fake helps protect the next person. Healing helps protect the survivor’s future.

Glossary

• Abuse Email Address — An abuse email address is the designated contact used by a registrar, hosting company, privacy service, or other provider to receive reports about fraudulent or harmful activity. A person reporting a fake website can use this address when the company provides email reporting instead of an online form. The report should identify the fraudulent domain clearly and provide enough evidence for the company to investigate quickly. — Abuse Reporting
• Abuse Report — An abuse report is a formal complaint submitted to a registrar, hosting provider, platform, registry, or other service concerning fraudulent, deceptive, or prohibited activity. An effective report identifies the fake resource, explains what it is doing, and provides evidence that can be checked quickly. Clear reports make it easier for reviewers to determine whether enforcement or removal is justified. — Abuse Reporting
• Abuse Reporting Page — An abuse reporting page is the official website form or portal a registrar, host, platform, or service provider uses to accept complaints about misuse. A person reporting a fake website can usually locate the correct page by searching the provider’s name together with the words “report abuse.” Using the provider’s official reporting channel increases the chance that the complaint reaches the team responsible for enforcement. — Abuse Reporting
• Account Creation Date — An account creation date shows when a social media profile or account was established. A recently created account using the identity of someone whose genuine account has existed for years can provide important evidence of impersonation. The creation date becomes more useful when combined with differences in followers, posting history, usernames, and behavior. — Digital Identity
• Account Handle — An account handle is the unique username used to identify a social media account on a platform. Impostor accounts frequently alter the genuine person’s handle by adding numbers, underscores, initials, or slightly changing letters. Recording the exact handle helps platforms identify the correct account and prevents accidental reporting of the legitimate profile. — Digital Identity
• Address Bar Screenshot — An address bar screenshot records the visible web address together with the page being displayed. It provides stronger evidence than a cropped image because it connects the fraudulent content directly to its URL. Including the complete address bar helps registrars, hosting providers, platforms, banks, and investigators verify exactly which online resource was involved. — Evidence Preservation
• Authorized Representative — An authorized representative is a person permitted to submit an impersonation report on behalf of the individual, company, or organization being copied. Some platform forms restrict reporting to the person being impersonated or someone who can demonstrate legitimate authority to act for that person or entity. The platform may request identification or other documentation before accepting the report. — Platform Reporting
• Browser Safety List — A browser safety list is a system used by browsers and security providers to identify websites associated with phishing, fraud, malware, or other dangerous activity. Reporting a fraudulent site to services such as Google Safe Browsing or Microsoft can cause browsers to warn visitors before they enter the site. This protection does not remove the website, but it can reduce the number of people exposed while a takedown request is being processed. — Browser Protection
• Browser Warning — A browser warning is an alert displayed when a browser recognizes that a website has been reported or classified as unsafe. The warning can interrupt access before a potential victim submits credentials, sends money, or follows fraudulent instructions. Browser warnings provide an additional layer of protection even when the underlying scam website remains online. — Browser Protection
• Cloned Website — A cloned website is a fraudulent site designed to resemble a legitimate company, organization, or service. Criminals may copy branding, text, photographs, contact information, and page layouts while using a slightly altered domain name. Identifying both the legitimate website and the cloned version allows reviewers to compare them and confirm the deception quickly. — Website Fraud
• Company Being Copied — The company being copied is the legitimate business or organization whose identity, website, branding, contact details, or reputation is being misused by a fraudulent site or account. Providing the authentic company’s address gives reviewers a direct comparison point when evaluating impersonation. The legitimate company may also have its own phishing or abuse team that can submit additional takedown requests. — Identity Impersonation
• Creation Date — A creation date identifies when an online account, profile, page, or other resource first appeared. It can help distinguish an established legitimate presence from a newly created imitation using copied photographs or information. Creation dates become especially useful when the fraudulent account claims a long history that the platform record does not support. — Digital Verification
• Crime Report Number — A crime report number is the identifying number assigned when a victim formally reports criminal activity to law enforcement or an official fraud reporting system. It creates a reference that can be provided to banks, platforms, investigators, or other organizations handling the case. A report number can also strengthen later escalation efforts by showing that the underlying conduct has been formally reported as a crime. — Fraud Reporting
• Domain Name — A domain name is the human-readable internet address used to locate a website. Scam websites frequently imitate legitimate domains by adding words, changing endings, inserting hyphens, or substituting similar letters. Recording the exact domain is essential because each fraudulent domain has its own registrar, hosting arrangements, and abuse reporting path. — Domain Infrastructure
• Evidence Kit — An evidence kit is the organized collection of screenshots, URLs, messages, dates, payment requests, wallet addresses, and other records preserved before a takedown begins. Building the kit first protects important information that may disappear once a fraudulent account or website is reported. Keeping the material together also makes later reporting to platforms, banks, law enforcement, or investigators faster and more consistent. — Evidence Preservation
• Fake Account — A fake account is a social media account created with false information or an invented identity for deceptive purposes. It may impersonate a real person, pretend to represent an organization, or use a completely fabricated persona to approach potential victims. Platforms generally provide reporting categories for fake accounts, scams, fraud, or impersonation depending on how the account operates. — Social Media Fraud
• Fake Company Page — A fake company page is an unauthorized social media presence that falsely presents itself as a legitimate business or organization. Criminals can use these pages to exploit the reputation of a known company, attract victims, advertise fraudulent services, or redirect people to other scam channels. Platforms may provide separate reporting routes for fraudulent company pages because business impersonation can involve additional identity and trademark issues. — Business Impersonation
• Fake Job Posting — A fake job posting is a fraudulent employment advertisement created to deceive job seekers or misuse the identity of a legitimate employer. It can direct applicants toward criminals who request money, personal information, banking details, or communication through outside messaging services. Platforms such as LinkedIn provide specialized reporting paths because employment fraud differs from ordinary profile impersonation. — Employment Fraud
• Fake Profile — A fake profile is an online profile that uses false identity information, copied photographs, invented history, or another person’s identity to mislead viewers. Differences in posting history, account age, handles, followers, and behavior can help distinguish it from the genuine profile. Reporting the correct profile requires careful comparison so that the legitimate person’s account is not mistakenly targeted. — Social Media Fraud
• Fake Website — A fake website is an online site created to deceive visitors by impersonating a legitimate entity, collecting credentials, requesting payments, spreading fraudulent information, or directing people into a scam. Its domain may closely resemble the authentic website while containing subtle spelling or formatting changes. Removing the site usually requires reporting it to the registrar, hosting provider, and relevant browser safety services. — Website Fraud
• Financial Loss Record — A financial loss record documents whether money was lost through the fraudulent website, account, or related scam and approximately how much was involved. Including the amount can help platforms, financial institutions, and investigators understand the seriousness of the conduct. The record should be factual and should not include sensitive account credentials or unnecessary private financial information. — Evidence Preservation
• Fraud Category — A fraud category is the classification selected when an abuse form asks what type of harmful activity is being reported. A fake website that steals information, impersonates a company, or directs visitors into a scam may appropriately fall under categories such as Fraud or Phishing. Choosing the most accurate category helps route the report to reviewers who handle that type of abuse. — Abuse Reporting
• Full-Page Screenshot — A full-page screenshot captures the broader context of a fraudulent website or social media presence rather than a small isolated portion. It can preserve profile information, page content, posts, branding, and other details that establish how the deception operates. Full context becomes especially important after a site or account disappears and can no longer be inspected directly. — Evidence Preservation
• Government ID Verification — Government ID verification is the process some platforms use to confirm that the person submitting an impersonation complaint is actually the person being copied or is authorized to act for that person. The platform may require a photograph of an official identification document or a photograph showing both the person and the identification. The requirement helps prevent fraudulent or malicious takedown requests against legitimate accounts. — Identity Verification
• Host — A host is the company or service that stores or serves the files and pages that make a website available on the internet. A fraudulent site depends on hosting infrastructure even when its domain was purchased from a different company. Reporting the site to the host can lead to suspension of the website content even when the domain itself remains registered. — Domain Infrastructure
• ICANN Lookup — ICANN Lookup is a public domain information service that can help identify registration information associated with a website address. A person investigating a fake website can use it to locate the registrar, name servers, and available abuse contacts connected with the domain. This information helps determine which companies should receive takedown complaints. — Domain Investigation
• Impersonation — Impersonation occurs when an account, page, website, or other online resource falsely presents itself as another person, company, organization, or recognized identity. Criminals use impersonation to borrow credibility and make communications or financial requests appear legitimate. Major platforms prohibit deceptive impersonation and provide mechanisms for reporting accounts that mislead users about who is actually behind them. — Identity Impersonation
• Impersonation Form — An impersonation form is a specialized platform reporting form used to request removal of an account pretending to represent another person, business, or organization. These forms are especially useful when the person reporting does not have an account on the platform or when an ordinary in-app report has failed. Platforms may restrict these forms to the person being impersonated or an authorized representative. — Platform Reporting
• In-App Report — An in-app report is a complaint submitted through the reporting tools built directly into a social media platform. The user normally opens the fraudulent profile, selects the reporting menu, chooses the appropriate reason, and follows the platform’s prompts. This route is often the fastest first step because it connects the complaint directly to the specific account being reported. — Platform Reporting
• Intellectual Property Report — An intellectual property report is a specialized complaint used when a fraudulent account or page misuses protected business names, trademarks, copyrighted material, or other legally protected identity elements. Platforms often route these reports to teams separate from ordinary impersonation reviewers. This path can provide an additional escalation option when a fake business or branded account remains online after standard reports fail. — Platform Escalation
• Name Servers — Name servers are technical records that help direct internet traffic toward the systems serving a website. Their addresses can provide clues about the company hosting, protecting, or otherwise supporting a fraudulent domain. Recording the name servers during a domain lookup can help identify another provider that should receive an abuse complaint. — Domain Infrastructure
• National Fraud Reporting Service — A national fraud reporting service is the official government or law enforcement channel a country uses to collect reports about scams and financial fraud. Victims outside the United States are directed to use the appropriate service in their own country when reporting the underlying crime. Filing through the national system creates a formal record that may contribute to broader investigative intelligence. — Fraud Reporting
• Payment Request Evidence — Payment request evidence includes screenshots, messages, wallet addresses, links, or instructions showing that a fraudulent account or website asked someone to send money. It helps establish that the resource is being used for financial exploitation rather than merely containing inaccurate information. Preserving the request before reporting is important because the criminal may delete or alter it once the account is challenged. — Evidence Preservation
• Phishing — Phishing is fraudulent online activity designed to trick people into revealing credentials, personal information, financial information, or other valuable data. Fake websites commonly imitate legitimate businesses so visitors believe they are entering information into a trusted service. Phishing is also a useful abuse-reporting category when a site is collecting logins or directing visitors toward credential theft. — Online Fraud
• Platform Help Center — A platform help center is the official resource where a social media company explains its rules, reporting procedures, forms, and current methods for addressing impersonation or fraud. Reporting menus change over time, so the help center provides a way to locate updated instructions when an older menu path no longer matches the platform. Searching the platform’s own help materials reduces reliance on outdated third-party instructions. — Platform Reporting
• Platform Impersonation Rules — Platform impersonation rules are the policies that prohibit accounts from misleading users into believing they represent another person, company, or organization. These rules provide the policy basis for requesting removal of deceptive accounts. Understanding the rule involved helps the reporter choose the correct reporting category and describe the violation clearly. — Platform Policy
• Post-Takedown Recovery — Post-takedown recovery is the continuing healing process that remains after a fraudulent account or website has been removed. The removal can create a brief sense of accomplishment while leaving financial loss, grief, trauma, betrayal, and other consequences unchanged. A victim may still need support and recovery resources after the online infrastructure disappears. — Recovery Process
• Privacy Service — A privacy service hides or substitutes public registration details that would otherwise identify the person or organization associated with a domain. When a fraudulent site’s registration information is protected this way, the listed privacy service can become a reporting contact. The service is expected to forward legitimate abuse complaints through the appropriate channel. — Domain Infrastructure
• Profile Link — A profile link is the direct web address leading to a specific social media profile or account. Providing the exact link prevents ambiguity when multiple accounts use similar names, photographs, or handles. Reports involving impersonation become stronger when both the fraudulent profile link and the legitimate person’s profile link are included for comparison. — Digital Evidence
• Real Account — A real account is the legitimate social media profile belonging to the person, business, or organization being impersonated. Its account age, posting history, followers, comments, verification information, and established relationships can help distinguish it from a recently created imitation. Providing the real account alongside the fake gives reviewers a direct basis for comparison. — Identity Verification
• Real Website — A real website is the authentic online site belonging to the business, organization, or service being copied by scammers. Comparing the real domain with the fraudulent one can expose altered letters, additional words, different domain endings, or other deliberate changes. Reporting forms may request the real website so reviewers can verify the impersonation quickly. — Website Verification
• Registrar — A registrar is the company through which a domain name is registered. The registrar maintains the domain registration relationship and normally provides an abuse contact or reporting mechanism. Reporting a fraudulent domain to the registrar can result in investigation, suspension, or other action when the domain violates applicable rules or policies. — Domain Infrastructure
• Registry Abuse — Registry abuse reporting is an escalation step directed toward the organization responsible for managing a particular top-level domain or domain ending. It becomes relevant when a registrar fails to act on a well-supported complaint and the fraudulent domain remains active. A registry complaint can add another level of review beyond the company that originally registered the domain. — Domain Escalation
• Report Escalation — Report escalation is the process of moving a takedown complaint to additional reporting channels when the first report does not produce action. It can include resubmitting after a reasonable period, using a platform’s dedicated form, contacting a registry, using intellectual property procedures, or adding a police report number. Escalation should remain factual and organized rather than relying on repeated submissions made in rapid succession. — Enforcement Process
• Report Reviewer — A report reviewer is the person or automated system responsible for evaluating whether a reported account, website, page, or other resource violates applicable rules. Effective reports are written so the reviewer can understand the violation and verify the evidence quickly. Concise facts, direct links, and one easily confirmed example are more useful than a lengthy account of the entire scam experience. — Abuse Reporting
• Reverse Image Search — A reverse image search checks where a photograph appears elsewhere online and can help determine whether an image has been copied or associated with different identities. A person investigating a suspicious profile can search the profile photograph through services such as Google image search or TinEye. Results showing the same photograph under unrelated names can provide useful evidence that the account is not genuine. — Digital Verification
• Scam Infrastructure — Scam infrastructure consists of the websites, social media accounts, links, communication channels, payment pathways, and other online resources criminals use to support fraudulent activity. Removing one part of the infrastructure can reduce the criminal’s ability to reach additional victims. A takedown does not eliminate the offender, because criminals can rebuild accounts and domains using new online resources. — Fraud Infrastructure
• Scam Victim Support — Scam victim support provides assistance to people dealing with the emotional, psychological, educational, and practical consequences of victimization. The need for support continues even when a fraudulent site or account has been successfully removed. A victim may experience a significant emotional decline after the immediate task of reporting is finished and the underlying loss remains. — Recovery Support
• Screenshot Evidence — Screenshot evidence preserves a visible record of fraudulent content before it can be deleted, changed, or removed. Effective screenshots show identifying information such as the account name, handle, website address, messages, dates, or payment requests whenever possible. Uncropped images provide stronger context and make later verification easier for platforms and investigators. — Evidence Preservation
• Social Media Takedown — A social media takedown is the removal or disabling of a fraudulent, fake, or impersonating account through a platform’s enforcement process. The reporter normally begins with the in-app reporting tool and can use specialized forms when the first route fails. Removing the account limits its immediate ability to contact additional victims but does not prevent the criminal from creating another account. — Platform Enforcement
• Takedown — A takedown is the process of removing, disabling, suspending, or otherwise restricting access to a fraudulent website, social media account, or similar online resource. The process usually begins with documented evidence and a report to the organization capable of taking action. A successful takedown interrupts criminal infrastructure but does not recover stolen money or resolve the underlying crime. — Fraud Disruption
• Takedown Follow-Up — Takedown follow-up is the continued checking and reporting that occurs after an initial complaint has been submitted. A reporter can revisit the fraudulent link after the expected review period, escalate if it remains active, and check again later because scammers frequently rebuild. Each new account or domain generally requires its own report and supporting evidence. — Enforcement Process
• Trademark Report — A trademark report is a specialized platform complaint involving unauthorized use of a registered name, brand, logo, or other protected trademark. It can provide an additional escalation path when a fraudulent account impersonating a business remains active after ordinary reporting. Trademark complaints are commonly handled by teams that specialize in intellectual property rather than general account moderation. — Platform Escalation
• URL — A URL is the exact web address that identifies a website, page, profile, or other online resource. Recording the full URL is essential because names and visual appearances can change while the address provides a specific location for reviewers and investigators. A takedown report should include the fraudulent URL and, when applicable, the corresponding legitimate URL for comparison. — Digital Evidence
• Verification Badge — A verification badge is a platform indicator showing that an account has completed a recognized identity or authenticity verification process. A legitimate public figure or business may have such a badge, while an impostor often does not. A symbol merely drawn into a profile photograph does not provide genuine platform verification and can itself be part of the deception. — Identity Verification
• Website Host — A website host is the provider whose infrastructure delivers the website’s pages and files to visitors. It can differ from the registrar that registered the domain, which is why both companies should be identified and reported when dealing with a fake site. Action by the host can make the fraudulent content unavailable even if the domain registration itself has not yet been cancelled. — Domain Infrastructure
• WHOIS Lookup — A WHOIS lookup is a search of publicly available domain registration information used to identify details associated with a website address. It can reveal the registrar, name servers, abuse contacts, and privacy services connected with the domain. This information gives a reporter the practical starting point for identifying which infrastructure providers should receive an abuse complaint. — Domain Investigation