I got a friend request from someone already a friend on my account. This is not a sign their account was hacked but just someone pretending to be my friend. If you want to help your friend by reporting the fake account to Facebook, here is what you do.
On the Friend request, click on the profile name listed.
If you are not sure if they are on your friend list or not, in the Search Facebook box, top left-hand corner of your page, type in the name in question. Facebook will give a list of possible matches and you’ll notice the word Friend under their name if you have them already added.
Clicking on the name in the friend request box will take you to that profile. A fake profile more likely will contain no posts and very few friends. Go into their real profile from your search and you’ll see the difference.
If you want to help your friend out by reporting the fake account, click on the three dots just under the profile picture to the right. In the menu that drops down, click on “Find support or report”.
In the next box to open, click on “Pretending to be someone”.
In the next box, in my case, I selected “A friend”.
Then you’ll be asked to type the name of the friend in question. A list of potential matches will pop down so click on your friend’s account.
Once the name is filled in, click on the “Send” button.
Then in the next box click on the Submit button.
Next box click on “Next”.
Then you’ll see a box with more options. You can block the fake account, or hide it. Then click on “Done”.
Here is a copy of the email I received from Facebook.
Keep in mind this is not a hacked account but someone pretending to be your friend. If they were in your account they wouldn’t be sending out friend requests because they would already have access to all that information. And you can’t send a friend request to someone who is already on your list. If you don’t want to report it, delete the friend request and spread the word that there is someone pretending to be you or your friend on Facebook.
For more Facebook madness click here.
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How do I do it for myself?
Basically the same procedure. Do a friend search for the imposter account. Your real account will have the word You under it. When you get to the question of who are they pretending to be click on Me and just follow through from there.