Is it possible to send an anonymous Facebook message? I get this question all the time. The things people ask! It comes with the territory I suppose.
I do have a method to send messages anonymously on Facebook Messenger but to be fair it is a bit of a workaround. Don’t worry I’ll explain all.
In a time where privacy is a myth, wanting to be anonymous on a social media messaging platform can be a little tricky. When it comes to Facebook Messenger, it gets even trickier as sending anonymous messages is against its policy.
So how do you still remain discreet while sending messages on Facebook Messenger?
There is no built-in way to use Messenger anonymously. As you would imagine they like everyone to act above board and be traceable – even responsible!
The method I am going to explain is NOT recommended by me. Personally, I don’t think anyone should need to send messages in this way.
I should also point out that it would be against Facebook Policy – although not necessarily illegal. Depending on the content of the message.
So here goes.
Take On a False Identity
One of the easiest ways you can send an anonymous message to someone on Facebook without revealing your true identity is by taking on a fake identity. Now, this could be a questionable thing in the first instance.
Why would you want to do that? What is the purpose of your message? These are some of the questions you need to answer for yourself before creating a fake profile.
All you need to do is create a new profile with an imagined or fake user name and you are set. You can access this profile on both your smartphone and computer/laptop.
Before creating a fake profile, make sure you log out from your real profile on your phone. Then you need to sign up for a new profile, follow the instructions, and within a couple of minutes, you will be fully set up.
While all the other elements of your profile can be imaginary, you will need to give a valid email address.
This is because you would need to validate your account with an email address. If you want to keep everything supremely discreet, you would also need to create a temporary email address for this purpose only.
Once you are all set up, you can simply use the Messenger app on the phone to send anonymous messages to whoever you want to send them to.
You would of course need to log out from your main profile because Facebook Messenger doesn’t give you the option to switch between accounts. But did you know you can actually use Messenger without having a Facebook account? Have a read there!
How to Create a Fake Facebook Profile via a Computer?
If you are operating from your computer, you will need to follow pretty much the same procedure. I have summarized it for you so that you don’t feel lost.
Here are the steps you can follow:
- Open the Facebook home page from your computer and log out of your account.
- Once you do this, you will be sitting in front of the main Facebook page and you can register as a new user using different details.
- You have the option of verifying your account either through your phone number or email address. You will need to create a temporary email address. Alternatively, you can also verify your new account via phone. If you have a spare SIM, you can even use that.
- You will have to put in your birth date, gender, and a few other details to make your account more credible.
- Once you have your profile ready, all you need to do is compose the message and send it to the person you want to.
Now you probably know the only way you can get around discreetly texting someone on Facebook Messenger is by creating a fake profile.
Know what all the symbols mean on FB Messenger? Check out my list of Facebook symbols meanings.
This is not always the best thing to do given the legal and ethical considerations. But if you have a genuine motive or reason to do so, you can literally get your profile ready in a few minutes. It is hassle-free, free, and also easy to navigate.
Not familiar with how Facebook Messenger works? I have a series of articles about Messenger with tips on how to do things like delete your search history on Messenger or how to delete Facebook messages and conversations.
Things to Take Care Of
Here are two things you must remember if you go to create a fake Facebook account:
- Though ethics can be subjective, it is on you to not use this method to harass or threaten someone.
- If caught, the repercussions could be severe, including a lifetime ban from the social media platform.
Besides, why would you want to do something as sinister and deplorable as trolling someone via Facebook? If you want to do something like this you should reconsider your actions.
You could create a fake profile and go ahead with your plan of anonymously messaging someone if it is a prank. Or you could have something else in mind, like surprising a friend or family member.
As long as it is fun and games and no one gets hurt, you are good to go.
What If You Get Caught?
Now you know that you can’t message someone discreetly by default. Unless you have good reasons to go down this route, you should probably give it a miss.
In any case, you must be aware of Facebook’s community standards on bullying and harassment which could be carried on via anonymous messaging.
One of the potential consequences could be that the person on the receiving end of your message gets uncomfortable and reports it to Facebook.
The platform will look into the complaint, analyze it, and if they find something fishy, you can be banned from using it.
What Facebook categorically discourages people from doing is sexually harassing someone, targeting people maliciously, and making unwanted advances towards someone.
Bullying, sending inappropriate and insensitive messages and threatening someone’s account for inappropriate behavior may invite serious action.
It is not just the social media platform where you would be ostracized. Sometimes cyber complaints are dealt with strictly within the law and that could be a very serious process.
Could You Use a VPN to Send Messages Anonymously on Messenger?
A VPN will not mean you can send messages anonymously. If you create a fake profile it will protect you from Facebook identifying you through your IP address. Possibly avoiding your real account getting banned.
VPN is the acronym for a virtual private network. Privacy and security are the two obvious benefits of using a VPN. It is used to mask your IP address and provide extra security.
At a deeper level, it can do much more than you would imagine.
As you know, social media apps like Facebook constantly track your personal information and if you create a fake account via the same network, chances are you may get caught.
Using a VPN will protect your privacy and will not let the app access your connections or personal information.
Though a VPN can offer you anonymity, it is not always possible to use it. You need to check if the use of a VPN is allowed in your country.
Certain places have imposed a ban on the use of VPNs. Lastly, using a VPN may sometimes slow your internet connection down but you wouldn’t want to risk exposing your identity, would you?
Is There Any Other Way You Can Send Anonymous Messages on Facebook?
There are certain apps and sites online that claim they can collaborate with Facebook to let you message someone anonymously.
However, there is no such verified app or source which is authorized to do so. Any source that claims to do so is definitely not official and must be taken with a pinch of salt.
I write a lot about monitoring apps on AcisNI.com. These do allow you to track and monitor messenger apps but they do not allow you to send anonymous messages.
Find out what they can do in my Facebook Hacking Guide and then check out the best Facebook Messenger Spy Apps. Another guide worth reading is ways to view private photos on FB. Lots of tips and information so please look around the site.
Final Thoughts
The bottom line for anonymous texting on Facebook is about using your discretion wisely to make the right choices. Your intentions and actions need to be good and in no way should end up hurting or harassing someone.
Also noteworthy is that Facebook is now actively working towards removing fake accounts after drawing criticisms on data breaches and privacy violations from all quarters.
It is now actively engaged in tackling misinformation and has even taken down 1.3 billion fake accounts between October and December 2020.
Given this information, you should not aim to keep your fake profile active for very long. If you have a particular reason to do so, follow the easy steps discussed above and set your account up.
Accomplish what you set out to do and make an exit. That way you will be spared from attracting unwanted attention.
Social media platforms such as Facebook should only be used as great communication and sociable sharing platforms. Keep it safe and clean, please!
