Fake Facebook Account Posing as Our Principal: How to Report

A parent forwards a message from what looks like your principal's Facebook, asking for a donation or an urgent school payment. Or staff spot a profile with the vice-chancellor's photo messaging students. Your community trusts that name, which is exactly why someone copied it. You want the account gone, and you want to make sure no one else pays. This guide covers why these fakes work, who reports what, and how to warn your community without spreading the fake further.

Last checked: 14 November 2026.

#Quick Answer

If a fake Facebook account is posing as your principal or vice-chancellor, report the profile for impersonation, and ask staff and parents who see it to report it too. Post a pinned notice on the school's official Page listing its only official accounts, and tell anyone who paid to contact their bank and the police.

#Schools and Universities Are Common Targets

On 7 November 2026, a Nigerian university warned again about a fake Facebook account impersonating its vice-chancellor, saying the vice-chancellor operates only one official Facebook page and that any other account claiming to act for her is fake. On 8 November 2026, the Philippine National Police warned the public about fake accounts pretending to be police officials. The pattern is the same everywhere: a trusted name, a familiar photo, and a request for money or information.

#Why These Fakes Work

• Parents and students trust the name and photo, and rarely check whether the profile is new.
• Requests come at busy times, such as the start of term or before an event, when payments are expected anyway.
• The fake often messages people privately, so others do not see it and cannot warn them.
• When one fake is removed, a new one can appear with a slightly different name.

#Who Reports What

Facebook's impersonation help page says profiles and Pages that impersonate other people go against its Community Standards, and that you can report one pretending to be you, someone you know or a public figure, even if you do not have a Facebook account. It has an impostor report form for people without an account or who lost access. If the fake also appears on Instagram, Instagram's impersonation report page covers accounts pretending to be you or someone you follow.

#A Pinned Notice for Your Official Page

Pin this to the school's official Page and share it in your own parent group chats. It does not mention or link the fake. Adapt it:

Our [principal / vice-chancellor] uses only these official accounts: [list]. We will never ask for payments or personal details through personal messages. If you receive a message like this, do not reply or pay, and report the account to Facebook. If you have already paid, contact your bank and the police.

#A Repeat-Offender Log

#What Makes This Hard to Handle Alone

• New fakes can appear after each removal, and keeping track takes time.
• The person impersonated may not have a personal Facebook account, or may not want to use it.
• Reports from many people can be uneven, with some choosing the wrong reason.
• Parents who lost money are upset, and the school needs to respond calmly and clearly.

#What Facebook Decides

Facebook decides whether a profile is removed. Some fakes come down after a few reports, some take longer, and new ones can appear. A clear, consistent report from the person impersonated tends to be the most useful.

#How AwareXone Handles This Kind of Case

When we help a school or university with impersonation of its head, we work through Facebook's official impersonation routes only. We help agree who files which report, set up the repeat-offender log, prepare a clear case for the person being impersonated, and draft the community notice. We never ask for passwords or codes, and Facebook makes the final decision.

#When It Is Safer to Get Expert Help

If fakes keep returning, or the person impersonated cannot report easily, it can become a lot for a busy admin team. If this has become hard to manage, we can take a look and help. You can read about our impersonation removal service and how we work on our trust page, then use Apply for Case Review below when you are ready. Reply within 60 seconds, 24 hours a day, every day.

Related guides: reporting a fake Facebook account for impersonation, reporting impersonation on Facebook without logging in and Facebook Page impersonation report routes.

#Frequently Asked Questions