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Every social media user has to deal with a fake account from time to time. Most of the time, the owners steal others’ photos to scam or prank others.

To prevent being scammed, you must learn how to find out if someone is using fake pictures on Instagram. It is imperative that you keep your privacy and possibly your financial information safe.

The information below will help you learn how to identify these fake profiles. You will also better understand how to find out if someone stole your specific images for their scam accounts.

Tip #1

If you identify a fake account on Instagram, you should immediately report it. Click on the profile, then tap the three dots and choose “Report.” You can also use this form to specifically report someone impersonating you.

Tips on Identifying Fake Instagram Accounts

There are a few tips to consider to help you learn how to find out if someone is using fake pictures on Instagram. The methods below are not 100% accurate at catching every spammer, but they will give you a good head start.

1. Check out the Profile Picture

Often, spammers want followers. They will use an attractive profile picture that does not represent their accurate appearance. You may see an image of a model or a celebrity instead.

You may find that the post images do not match the person in the profile picture. You will likely also see a bio with a story that does not make sense. The entire profile will seem off.

2. Go to the Feed

As mentioned, a fake Instagram account likely will not have matching feed and profile photos. You may notice that none of the images in the posts are similar.

You should also pay attention to the frequency of posts on the account. A fake profile will likely share numerous photos over a short period, allowing them to scam as many people as possible.

3. Look at the Follow Count

Fake Instagram accounts will have an unnatural number of followers. Over a short period, they will likely have the maximum of 7,500 individuals they want to follow.

These fake Instagram accounts may have a low number of followers, however. Real Instagram users will likely quickly notice that these are spammers.

Reverse Image Search

One of the best and easiest ways to learn how to find out if someone is using fake pictures on Instagram is to perform a reverse image search. You can easily screenshot the Instagram photos, upload them to the Google tool, and wait for the results to show.

The reverse image search tool will review the fixed features in an image, relating them to the thousands of other photos on the internet. If the account is fake, you will almost immediately see countless results of that picture. There are two ways to perform a reverse image search with Google, as seen below.

Reverse Image Search on the Google Website

You will need to be on the Google Images website to perform a reverse image search using this method. Follow the steps below.

  1. Open your browser and type in images.google.com.
  2. On the right of the search bar, click on the camera icon.
  3. In the “Paste Image URL” tab, drag and drop the photo from Instagram to the search box.
  4. You can also screenshot or save the photo and upload it directly to Google Images. Use the “Upload an Image” tab for this method.
  5. Press “Choose File.”
  6. Find the photo on your computer, and press “Open.”
  7. Tap the “Search” button on either tab.

Search Google for Image

The drag and drop method mentioned in step three does not always work with social media photos. You can right-click on the picture on a desktop website and press “Copy Image URL.” Paste the URL into the “Paste Image URL” tab aforementioned.

When right-clicking on the image, you will see another option labeled “Search by Image.” Click on that button, and Google will automatically open a new tab on your browser. You will quickly find any images associated with the Instagram photo you want to investigate.

Reverse Image Search on the Google App

The steps differ for learning how to find out if someone is using fake pictures on Instagram through the Google app. You can use the reverse image search tool on iPhones and Androids.

Reverse Image Search on an iPhone

You will have to screenshot a photo from Instagram to your mobile device before using the reverse image search tool on the Google app. Learn more in the steps below.

1. Download the Google app from the Apple App Store.
2. Press the camera icon to the right of the search bar.

get the google app and click on the google lens icon - how to find out who made a fake Instagram account

3. Tap the image icon located to the left of the magnifying glass.
4. Select the saved image on your iPhone that you want to search.
5. Move the white circle to the part of the image you want to include in the search.
6. Wait for the results to load.

find the saved image on your iPhone that you want to reverse search - how to find out who made a fake Instagram account

Reverse Image Search on an Android Device

Finally, you can learn how to find out if someone is using fake pictures on Instagram using the reverse image search on the Android Google app. Use the steps below to begin.

1. Open the Google app and press the camera icon in the middle of the screen.
2. Press the image icon that shows up on the left.
3. Select the appropriate photo app that holds your images.
4. Wait for the images to load based on the one object Google selected.
5. If there are other objects in the image to search, you will see white circles. Press those shapes until you see all of the results you need.

You can also use the Google search bar existing on most Android devices. Tap the camera icon and follow the above steps.

Androids also allow you to search images directly from the Instagram website. Hold and press on the photo and use the Google Lens feature. Learn more in the steps below.

1. Open your browser and go to www.instagram.com.
2. Sign in to your account.
3. Find the account you want to search.

Sign in to your Instagram account - how to find out if someone is using fake pictures on instagram

4. Hold and press on one of the images and tap “Search with Google Lens.”
5. You can select “Use an Object in the Image” to use the white circles aforementioned.
6. Select “Use Part of an Image” to draw a specific area of the photo you want to search.
7. Scroll down to see your results.

You can select search with google lens to use the white circles aforementioned - how to find out if someone is using fake pictures on instagram

Use Instagram to See the Person Behind a Fake Account

If you want to learn how to find out who made a fake Instagram account, you can use the social media tool itself. Use the steps below to begin.

  1. Find the account that you want to investigate and write down the username.
  2. Click on your profile picture, followed by your username.
  3. Press “Add Account.”
  4. Enter the username of the suspicious account.
  5. Tap “Forgotten Password?”
  6. Enter the username again and wait for confirmation. You will see the email address or the phone number of the individual.
Tip #2

After you report a fake profile on Instagram, it is likely best to block them. Click on the individual’s username and tap the three dots to the right of their name. Press “Block” to stop these fake users from messaging you or having any contact with you whatsoever.

Third-Party Apps to Find Out if Someone is Using Fake Pictures on Instagram

There are a variety of third-party apps and programs that allow you to learn how to find out who made a fake Instagram account. You can also use the tools below to know if the profile is a scam in general.

trendHERO

trendhero instagram fake followers check and remove - how to find out if someone is using fake pictures on instagram

When using trendHero, you can learn how to find out who made a fake Instagram account to start. You get a free trial to enter in one username of a spam profile and search the information behind it.

You can also use the Instagram Follower Checker made by trendHero. Look at the pie charts created by the “Audience Type” category, and notice the “Suspicious” option. If you have fake followers, you will likely see a high percentage rate in that area.

Finally, you can inspect growth in followers in trendHero. If you suddenly notice a sharp increase in the number of individuals who follow your account, you may have some fake profiles to navigate.

HypeAuditor

hyperauditor all in one solution to empower your influencer marketing

HypeAuditor lets you check your follower count to understand how to find out if someone is using fake pictures on Instagram for a spam account. You only have to enter the profile’s username and press “Check” to begin.

The webpage that loads will show you information on the topics that an individual enjoys. It will give you the user’s location and how much authentic engagement they have.

SocialBlade

social blade - how to find out if someone is using fake pictures on instagram

SocialBlade not only works with your Instagram account, but you can also check your followers and friends on YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook. There is a free and paid version of this software. The latter gives you deeper access so that you can keep track of every account you want to monitor.

When going to SocialBlade’s website, you will notice a massive search bar. Type in the username you want information on and press the magnifying glass. You will immediately see results concerning the individual’s location, engagement rates, and more.

FakeCheck

fakecheck - how to find out if someone is using fake pictures on instagram

FakeCheck will help you analyze engagement so that you can investigate whether your Instagram followers are fake. You can search only a few profiles for free to start using the provided search bar. After, you will need to pay a fee for every query you make.

Tip #3

Though it is best to block fake profiles, you may want to restrict other Instagram users. This feature prevents someone from seeing your posts, and Instagram will not show their comments. The social media platform brought out this tool to mitigate bullying. To use it, navigate to someone’s profile, click on the three dots, and press “Restrict.”

Spot Fake Pictures and Accounts on Instagram

Now, you should understand how to find out if someone is using fake pictures on Instagram. You can check out someone’s profile pictures, posts, and follower count to start to see if anything looks suspicious.

If you need to continue, perform a reverse image search using Google on your mobile app or the website. Use a third-party tool to check profile engagement for each username you want to search.

Finally, you can even spot the person behind the fake Instagram account. Pretend as if you forgot the password to the profile, and you will immediately see the email and phone number associated with it.

The above article may contain affiliate links, which help support Clever Sequence

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