Legal Definitions - false personation

False Personation (also known as false impersonation) refers to the act of pretending to be another person, either real or fictitious, with the intent to deceive or defraud. This deception is typically carried out to gain some benefit, advantage, or to cause harm or inconvenience to another.

Here are some examples illustrating false personation:

• Example 1: A person dresses in a utility company uniform, complete with a fake ID badge, and claims to be an inspector needing to check the wiring inside a homeowner's house. Their true intention is to scout the house for valuables to steal later.

  Explanation: This illustrates false personation because the individual is pretending to be an employee of the utility company, a specific role, with the intent to deceive the homeowner and gain unauthorized entry for a criminal purpose.

• Example 2: An individual creates a social media profile using the name, photos, and personal details of a former classmate without their knowledge or permission. They then use this fake profile to post defamatory comments about other people, making it appear as though the former classmate is responsible.

  Explanation: This is an act of false personation because the individual is assuming the identity of another real person to deceive others and cause harm to the classmate's reputation.

• Example 3: During a university exam, a student pays another person to sit in their place and take the test, providing the imposter with the student's identification card to present to the proctor.

  Explanation: This scenario demonstrates false personation as the paid individual is pretending to be the enrolled student, using the student's identity to gain an academic advantage through deception.