Facebook and the law

[beverleymot]

Hello everyone my friend has today found out that someone has done a fake profile in her name last June on facebook. the profile has no photo, but has 30 of her friends on it and some basic details ( d.o.b, hometown) on it. We suspect we know who it is, but if my friend went to the police what would happen? how would they find out who it is, and what could happen to them? Thanks in advance.

[RATTER15]

I really doubt the Police would do anything unless the account was being used to profit through fraud or maybe if it was criminally abusive etc. What crime do you think may have been committed?

[sara3]

I don't think the police would be interested unless you could prove some criminal intent.

but there is a "report profile" option on every profile.

someone set up a fake profile in my son's name with his photo, a few of us reported it.. it's still there!

[beverleymot]

Thats terrible Sara!! No crime has been committed that we know of, other than using someone elses details to get an account- the girl we suspect has been blocked on my facebook for years so we are wondering whether she has done this so she can access my details. Surely the police can do her for harassment? I took that profile off my friends list last night, and then i had a friend request from it again at 7:30 this morning

[AlBags]

Nothing Beverley. Facebook seem a law unto themselves.
They are good at being hacked and peoples info being 'gotattable' too.
Only place on Facebook what you do not mind the whole world sharing.
.. and forget cam chatting on there too.

[AlBags]

It's certainly not harassment Beverley .. that's for sure.

[RATTER15]

Has any harassment taken place?

[beverleymot]

i dont have anything to hide on there, and my profile is not shared, she can only see things i do on there because i added her thinking it was my other friend. She's off now anyway. I think its probably down to my friend to decide what she is going to do

[beverleymot]

i suppose no it isnt harassment as such, because nothing has ever been written on my wall from this person, i guess they just used it to read my profile. This person was blocked though for a reason!

[exdc]

Hi Beverleymot

This conduct can amount to (part of) harassment and other telecoms offences but the police would ask that you initially report the facts to Farcebook. The police are able to reques tany available information from facebook to try and identify the offender etc but this is a bureaucratic process and reversed for the more serious online offences.

[exdc]

"reversed for the more serious online offences."

Should read, reserved

[beverleymot]

the person has now been caught- they added a fake profile on here too under the name poppy85, and it was linked to the same email address as the one set up for the facebook account!! also the questions aske don here have been about me and my life!!