This is especially effective when the fake account is using the account to sell products because, typically, they’ll use product-specific hashtags. Try using hashtags in your search to find fake Instagram accounts. Therefore you may need to try using another Instagram account (i.e., your personal account) to perform the search. You can also evaluate other factors, like the content they are posting (i.e., if they are copying your feeds, you can bet it’s a blatant impersonation), where they claim they are located, interactions with others, and so on.Īdditionally, keep in mind that Instagram accounts created with malicious intent tend to block the legitimate brand. Remember an account with a name that is similar or the same as your brand name has not necessarily been created with malicious intent to impersonate you. Instagram will then show the search result listing all the accounts using your brand name. Try searching for phrase variations, typos (i.e., Gogle instead of Google), and so on. The first (and the easiest) thing to do is search for your name or brand’s name on Instagram. Nevertheless, there are a few methods you can use to spot fake Instagram accounts and ban them: 1. It is no surprise then that it is a difficult task to find one or two accounts who may be using your logo, name, or brand image. Facebook profiles using your name, logo, and slogan in their designĪccording to the most recent studies there are around 2 billion active Instagram accounts.Fake Instagram accounts using your brand logo and brand name in their Instagram post or Instagram ads.Here are some examples of acts on Instagram that may be considered legal trademark infringement: So, even if you haven’t or can’t register your trademark yet (i.e., you can’t register an individual name unless you are already famous), you can still take action against these fake Instagram accounts impersonating your identity and getting them deleted.ĭue to the visual nature of Instagram, trademark infringements can happen in a wide variety of different ways: logos, brand names, product design, and so on. Instagram also adheres to the common law trademark rights, so it can ban Instagram accounts that perform infringements on unregistered trademarks, potentially including individual identity. This simply means trademark infringement is strictly prohibited on Instagram, so if you found your brand being impersonated by others (so technically, they have stolen your trademark), you have the right to report this account, and Instagram is obligated to take action and ban the fake account. federal trademark laws and potentially other relevant trademark laws in your location. Is creating a fake Instagram account impersonating another person or organization legal? The short answer is no, it’s illegal, and if you are a registered trademark owner, Instagram is obligated to follow the U.S. The legality of fake Instagram accounts: How Instagram handles trademarks In this guide, we will explore your options, especially how to take down these fake Instagram accounts via reporting. So, if you are a legitimate brand and your brand identity is assumed by a fake Instagram account, what can you do about it? Post derogatory content to damage the reputation of the company the account is impersonating.Scam others, for example, by sending a link to phishing scams.Selling fake products, claiming to be a legitimate brand offering ‘special discount.’.There are still many fake Instagram accounts impersonating famous people and well-known brands, and bad actors can then use these fake accounts to: While Instagram has been very active in combating cybercriminals and scammers on the platform, unfortunately, it’s still not good enough. Yet, it’s quite obvious that the fact that there are many businesses being active on Instagram also invites many bad actors looking to take advantage of the situation. With the popularity of the platform, many businesses are now looking at Instagram as their primary online marketing channel: it’s the place where they work with influencers to promote their product, get user-generated reviews, and more. Instagram has grown from a niche photo-sharing platform into one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 2 billion monthly active users in 2021.
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