personation
Pretending someone else
Personation is the act of pretending to be someone else, especially for fraudulent purposes.
In legal contexts, it typically refers to impersonating another person to gain benefits or deceive: He was charged with personation after voting under his brother's name.
The word overlaps with impersonation but carries stronger connotations of deception rather than entertainment.
Stealing personal data criminally
- false pretensesDeceptive claims for gain
- impostureDeception through false identity
- identity fraudFalsely claiming another's credentials
- phishingFraudulent credential harvesting
social engineering · forgery · counterfeit · swindle · con · scam · misrepresentation · deception
Depiction of someone
- characterizationDescribing distinctive qualities
- role-playingActing out characters
- embodimentConcrete manifestation of idea
- enactmentPassing into law
mimicry · performance · acting · caricature · parody · impression · depiction · representation
Individual identity, personhood
- individualityUnique personal character
- personhoodStatus as a person
- alter egoA secondary persona
- assumed identityFabricated personal guise
character · self-concept · authenticity · disguise · mask · facade · double · doppelganger
Falsely claiming another's credentials
- criminal offenseUnlawful act prosecutable by state
- false representationUntrue depiction of reality
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
- prosecutionPursuing legal charges
defendant · statute · tort · misdemeanor · felony · indictment · liability · forgery
identity theft
Stealing personal data criminally
- false pretensesDeceptive claims for gain
- impostureDeception through false identity
- identity fraudFalsely claiming another's credentials
phishing · social engineering · forgery · counterfeit · swindle · con · scam · misrepresentation · deception · masquerade
portrayal
Depiction of someone
- characterizationDescribing distinctive qualities
- role-playingActing out characters
- embodimentConcrete manifestation of idea
enactment · mimicry · performance · acting · caricature · parody · impression · depiction · representation · interpretation
selfhood
Individual identity, personhood
- individualityUnique personal character
- personhoodStatus as a person
- alter egoA secondary persona
assumed identity · character · self-concept · authenticity · disguise · mask · facade · double · doppelganger
identity fraud
Falsely claiming another's credentials
- criminal offenseUnlawful act prosecutable by state
- false representationUntrue depiction of reality
- testimonySworn statement as evidence
prosecution · defendant · statute · tort · misdemeanor · felony · indictment · liability · forgery · perjury
personationauthenticity
Quality of being genuine
being oneself · self-presentation · realness · originality · selfhood
personationauthenticity
Quality of being genuine
honesty · truthfulness · transparency · sincerity · genuineness
personationself-revelation
Exposing inner truths
unmasking · exposure · identification · verification · coming clean