Signs of Impersonation 

Impersonation is when a person pretends to be someone they are not. Your partner can do this in several ways: 

• They might access your accounts and use them to contact others or post as you. 
• They might create fake accounts in your name and pretend to be you. 
• They might impersonate your friends, family, or a potential romantic partner (catfishing) to try to contact you. 

These actions can cause you stress, damage your reputation, and affect your relationships with family and friends. 

What You Can Do 

Collect Evidence of Impersonation: 

1. Do not delete posts or messages right away. If an impersonator uses your account or another to create posts or send messages, it can be tempting to delete them immediately, but it is important that you save the evidence first. 
   • Deleted posts can sometimes be recovered depending on what application is being used. For instance, Instagram and TikTok both allow you to view deleted posts. 
   • You may also be able to show that it was not you who logged in to your account by checking your security and login information. 
2. Take screenshots or video screen recordings of any posts or messages that have been created by the impersonator. This can include suspicious login information, messages to you or other people, or posts including photos and videos. 
   • Do not edit your screenshots. If possible, include the date/time in your screenshots. 
   • Keep a copy of your screenshots or consider printing them. 
3. Make note of what makes you think someone is impersonating you. 
   • For example, the impersonator may be the only other person who knows the password to your account. 
   • Your account may also show that someone logged in at a time and place that you weren’t online/available/present. 
   • They might be using an old or edited photo of you. 
   • Other people have received messages from “you” that you did not send. 
   • Other people have received messages from “you” that contain incorrect or false information. 

Change Your Passwords & Alert Your Contacts 

After collecting and preserving evidence, you can take steps to remove their access to your accounts and/or to mitigate damage caused by fake accounts. 

• Many devices or accounts have an option that allows you to sign out of all devices that are logged in. This would log out the person who has accessed your accounts. 
• Change your passwords and security questions so that the other person can no longer log in. 
• Inform your friends and family that someone is pretending to be you, and that they shouldn’t respond or give out information if they receive messages from those accounts. 

If someone is impersonating your friends and family to contact you, check in with them through another means to confirm they really contacted you before responding to a message or sharing any personal information. For example, if you receive a message from your friend on social media and you suspect it is an impersonator, text your friend’s phone to confirm whether they sent the message or not. 

Make a Report of the Account 

Social Media 

All social media platforms have a process to report accounts for impersonation. These processes may include reporting specific accounts/posts, providing evidence of your identity, or filling out an online form. You can utilize the evidence collected in the previous section to support your claim. 

Tell A Trusted Adult 

If the impersonation is happening at school, a club, a youth group, or on a team, report it to a trusted adult like a teacher, counsellor, or team lead.  

When reporting, it is important to keep a record of the response: 

• Save or screenshot any communications that were sent to you concerning the harassment. Keep a copy of any screenshots you take. 
• Write down the details of the actions that were taken in response to the harassment. This can also include lack of action from the school or team. 

You can also reach confidential, 24/7 support: 

• Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 
• www.sheltersafe.ca  

Monitor Your Online Presence 

If your current or former partner keeps creating fake accounts to impersonate you, continue monitoring your online presence. You can set Google Alerts to track mentions of your name or regularly search for profiles that might use your online presence. 

Look into Legal Options 

After reporting impersonation to social media platforms, you can pursue legal action if you're comfortable doing so. You can report the impersonation to the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security; depending on the extent of the impersonation, you may be able to seek a restraining order. 

 

 

 

 

Technology-facilitated gender-based violence is part of a continuum of violence that can be both online and in-person. If you or someone you know is experiencing technology-facilitated violence, you are not alone. Encourage them to chat with a trusted adult, connect with the Kids Help Phone to create a safety plan, or use ShelterSafe.ca to find a shelter/transition house near you to discuss options and create a safety plan. You don’t need to stay in a shelter to access free, confidential services and support.