Defamation on Facebook – low cost identification

• Obtaining disclosure from Instagram
• Exposing the user of a fake Instagram account
• Social media defamation

How affordable is it to unmask an anonymous Facebook defamer?

Even one anonymous Facebook post can damage your reputation. If you’ve been defamed by a fake account, our affordable in-house investigation tools and expert legal strategies can help identify the culprit and stop the defamation

From a Stray Cat to a Facebook Defamation Nightmare

Accused online by an anonymous Facebook user -what can you do

Your legal rights if you’re defamed on Facebook

How our legal team helped identify the anonymous Facebook defamer

Lawyer’s thoughts on the case

From a Stray Cat to a Facebook Defamation Nightmare

It can happen to anyone: you try to do the right thing, only to find yourself at the centre of a storm on social media. For Laura (not her real name), an ordinary school science technician, a simple act of kindness- taking in a stray cat- turned into a nightmare when a neighbour accused her of theft in a public Facebook group.

Laura first noticed the stray, whom she called Daisy, scavenging in bins near her home. Over several months, she and her husband, along with a few caring neighbours, fed Daisy, cared for her through pregnancy, and even arranged for veterinary treatment for her and her kittens.

At no stage did anyone come forward to claim the cat, and no missing pet posts appeared locally. Laura acted purely out of compassion, trying to help an animal in need. After Daisy went missing, Laura posted a message in her neighbourhood Facebook group hoping someone might have seen her. She could never have expected the backlash that followed.

Accused online by an anonymous Facebook user -what can you do

An individual using the alias “Sam Grant” responded publicly to Laura’s post, claiming to be Daisy’s rightful owner. The accusations escalated quickly: Laura was labelled a “cat thief”, accused of microchipping someone else’s pet, and even of taking the cat from a vulnerable child.

 To make matters worse, private messages were screenshot and posted publicly, and Laura’s address was shared with thousands of group members. As a newcomer to the UK and someone working in education, Laura feared these false accusations would affect her job, especially since many schools review staff’s social media history under safeguarding guidelines. 

Your legal rights if you’re defamed on Facebook

Laura reached out to our firm seeking help not just for herself, but to restore her good name and reputation. She wanted to clear her name and set the record straight, but her accuser was anonymous and using a fake profile. This is increasingly common in local Facebook groups, where users may feel emboldened to make serious allegations under a cloak of anonymity.

In situations like this, it’s important to understand your options. First, UK defamation law requires that the statements made must cause serious harm to your reputation and be published to a third party.

 Where the person making the posts is anonymous, the first step is to try to identify them, sometimes through open-source digital investigation or, in certain cases, via legal disclosure applications to social media companies.

 Second, time is of the essence. There is only a one-year window to bring a defamation claim in the UK, and this clock usually starts running from the date of publication. The sooner you act, the better.

How our legal team helped identify the anonymous Facebook defamer

Our team began by carefully reviewing all evidence Laura provided, such as screenshots, posts, and conversations. What set this case apart was our ability to use our in-house OSINT department. OSINT, or Open Source Intelligence, is the practice of gathering and analysing information from publicly available sources on the internet, and by leveraging access to a range of specialist investigative tools and databases.

These resources allow us to uncover details that are not immediately obvious through standard internet searches, making OSINT a powerful asset for unmasking anonymous users and building solid legal cases. Having this expertise in-house is essential for lawyers handling online defamation and harassment matters, as it enables us to quickly and efficiently trace anonymous users, investigate digital footprints, and secure evidence that might otherwise go unnoticed.

 Using our OSINT team, we conducted a thorough online investigation to try to unmask the individual behind “Sam Grant”. This process can be complex and isn’t always successful, but in this case, our persistence paid off.

We followed several leads, searching public records and analysing online activity, until we eventually identified the real person responsible for the defamatory posts. 

Once we had identified the correct individual, we formally sent him a cease and desist letter in defamation (a letter before legal action). This letter demanded that the false statements be retracted and that further defamatory publication cease immediately.

Taking this formal legal step, supported by our investigation, brought about the closure Laura needed and helped restore her reputation.

Lawyer’s thoughts on the case

It’s often the seemingly minor matters that can escalate into life-changing events for ordinary people. This case highlights how quickly online defamation can turn someone’s life upside down, affecting everything from local friendships to employment and mental wellbeing.

 At our firm, we recognise that not everyone has the means for lengthy legal battles. That’s why it’s so important for us to support people of all backgrounds by focusing on identifying the real issue, tracing the perpetrator, and suggesting practical, pragmatic steps to make the problem go away.

We take pride in offering affordable, results-focused guidance,  so people like Laura can regain their peace of mind and reputation. On this occasion, our approach succeeded: we found out who was behind the anonymous posts and helped Laura bring the situation to a close, without the need for costly litigation or disclosure application. In our view, that’s just as valuable as a courtroom win.