Telegram Scams You Should Know About
Did you know that using Telegram may not be safe? All because of the frequent cases of Telegram scams. Read more about Telegram scams and learn how to protect yourself.
In 2024, Telegram is visited by 900 million people per month. By the number of the audience, Telegram is one of the five most popular messengers in the world.
However, along with the popularity, the number of scammers is also growing. In a matter of minutes, you can lose your accounts, create channels, or money. All this is due to the scam cases existing in Telegram.
What is the Telegram Scam?
Telegram scams are fraudulent schemes that are implemented either in the application itself or aimed at luring the user to a dangerous third-party site.
Scammers “fell in love” with Telegram because of its popularity and ease of use. A phone number is enough to create an account. The range of Telegram scams is wide: from “traditional” phishing schemes to sophisticated attacks carried out by bots posing as real support staff.
Why Do Scammers Like To Use Telegram For Scams?
In 2024, sales via Telegram increased by 581%. It seems that fraud has grown no less against this background. Most often, people fall into the hands of scammers and open their personal information for one of three reasons.
Reason #1 Inexperience
Telegram’s audience is growing, and newcomers entering the messenger for the first time may not even be aware of the obvious deception. In addition, there are simply naive people who fall for the tricks of scammers not only online but also in real life. No matter how much law enforcement agencies warn people about scammers, some transfer fabulous amounts to them.
Reason #2 The imaginary impression of trust in bloggers
It is created because a person finds the channel he needs in Telegram by keywords and is the first to contact the blogger with a question. In addition, scammers usually have many subscribers, and their search channels appear in the first lines of the search.
Reason #3 Scammers are good psychologists
Some of the bestsellers and marketers on the market, easily convince Telegram users to make a decision in their favor. They can work in pairs and teach each other how to properly affect a person’s pain and effectively close it.
What are the Goals of Scammers in Telegram?
Here are the most obvious reasons why scammers try to gain access to other people’s accounts and Telegram channels:
- Resell the channel. By “hijacking” an account, scammers gain access to all linked channels. If the channel is popular and has a lot of subscribers, you can sell it for a good price.
- Blackmail the owner. If confidential information is found in the Telegram account, attackers can demand money for secrecy.
- Use it as an advertising platform. A scammer can change the channel’s theme, avatar, and description. But the channel’s audience remains. He can continue to post and advertise.
- Delete the channel. Account theft can be committed by unscrupulous competitors who have decided to delete the interfering channel.
- Get access to online banking. Very often, users use the same username and password to access different accounts. Scammers may try to log into various services, including banking applications.
How to Protect Yourself from Telegram Scams
To minimize the risk of losing your account or channel, you should follow the following recommendations:
- Use two-factor identification. With this method, you need to come up with a strong password that will be stored in the cloud.
- Do not log in via Telegram to suspicious resources. If you need to log in to a service, then do not use the link sent by someone but open the original site yourself.
- Check the “Active Sessions”. If you see an unfamiliar device among the active sessions, then end the session and change the password.
- Do not tell anyone the received activation code. This code is intended solely for personal use.
- Disable auto-upload. In the advanced messenger settings, disable file auto-upload.
- Do not download hacked applications. Saving on the purchase of a program can result in infection of the device with viruses or the installation of malicious scripts.
15 Most Common Telegram Scams Nowadays
Here is a list of the 15 most common Telegram scams today. Learn them by heart, and try not to fall for fraudulent Telegram scams and schemes.
1. Crypto Channels Scam
This is one of the most popular scam schemes on Telegram. It refers to fraudulent activities conducted through cryptocurrency-related Telegram channels. Crypto channel scams often happen through a series of deceptive tactics designed to exploit the unregulated and anonymous nature of cryptocurrency investments. Scammers create channels that promote fake or non-existent investment opportunities in cryptocurrencies.
*Note: Scammers promise high returns with little risk, which entices people to invest their money.
2. Giveaways of Bitcoin and Other Brands Scam
This type of scam scheme refers to fraudulent techniques where scammers falsely promise free cryptocurrency or branded items as part of a giveaway event. Also, they often use deceptive tactics to trick individuals into giving away personal information, sending funds, or performing other actions beneficial to the scammer.
*Note: Scammers advertise fake giveaways, gift cards, or contests claiming that participants can win large amounts of Bitcoin, or popular branded items (like electronics or luxury goods) for free.
3. Phishing via Telegram Bots Scam
This is a type of online fraud where scammers use Telegram bots to deceive users into revealing sensitive information, such as passwords, private keys, or personal details. These bots are programmed to imitate legitimate services or entities, tricking users into providing information that can be exploited for financial gain or identity theft.
*Note: Scammers create bots on Telegram that mimic the appearance and functionality of legitimate services, such as cryptocurrency exchanges, financial institutions, or popular apps.
4. “Copycat” or Fake Telegram Channels Scam
This type of scam involves scammers creating fraudulent Telegram channels that closely mimic the appearance and branding of legitimate channels or organizations. The goal is to deceive users into believing that these fake channels are authentic, leading them to fall victim to various types of scams.
*Note: Scammers create Telegram channels that closely resemble the official channels of well-known organizations, companies, or individuals.
5. “Crypto Expert” Scam
This is a type of fraud where scammers pose as cryptocurrency experts or consultants to deceive individuals into investing money, paying for fake services, or divulging personal information.
*Note: Scammers create convincing profiles or websites that claim to offer expert cryptocurrency advice or consultancy services.
6. Tech Support Scam
This is a type of fraud where scammers impersonate technical support agents or organizations to deceive individuals into paying for unnecessary services, providing sensitive information, or installing malicious software. These scams exploit the victim’s trust in legitimate tech support and often use scare tactics or false claims to manipulate individuals.
*Note: Scammers may initiate contact through unsolicited phone calls, emails, or pop-up messages on a victim’s computer.
7. “Friend in Need” Scam
This is a type of social engineering fraud, where scammers exploit the trust and emotional connection between friends or acquaintances to manipulate individuals into giving away money or personal information. The scam typically involves impersonating a friend or relative in distress and requesting financial assistance or sensitive details.
*Note: Scammers either hack into a friend’s or relative’s account or create a fake profile to impersonate someone known to the victim.
8. Fake Job Offers Scam
This is a type of fraud where scammers create false job opportunities to deceive jobseekers into providing personal information, paying fees, or engaging in fraudulent activities. These scams often exploit the jobseeker’s desperation for employment and can occur through various channels and messaging platforms.
*Note: Scammers post fake job offers that seem enticing, often with attractive salaries, benefits, and flexible working conditions.
9. Romance Scams
This is a type of fraud where scammers exploit individuals seeking romantic relationships by pretending to be a romantic partner. These scammers build emotional connections with their victims to manipulate them into providing money, personal information, or other forms of assistance through dating apps and social media platforms.
*Note: Scammers create fake profiles on dating websites, social media platforms, or online chatrooms. They often use attractive photos and fabricated personal details to appear appealing and genuine.
10. Crypto Pump-and-Dump Scam
This is a type of market manipulation scheme where scammers artificially inflate the price of a cryptocurrency to attract investors and then sell off their holdings at the inflated price, leaving other investors with significant losses.
*Note: Scammers use social media, online forums, and messaging platforms to spread hype and misinformation about the targeted cryptocurrency.
11. “Classiscam” Schemes Scam
The term generally refers to a category of classic or traditional scam tactics that have been adapted to new contexts or technologies. The term is a portmanteau of “classic” and “scam,” and it encompasses a variety of well-known fraudulent schemes that have been updated for the digital age.
*Note: These scams often involve familiar tactics but are set in new contexts or use updated scenarios, like cryptocurrency investments, fake online marketplaces, or digital romance.
12. Ponzi Scemes Scam
This is a type of investment fraud that lures investors with the promise of high returns with little risk. Named after Charles Ponzi, who became infamous for using this scheme in the early 20th century, it involves using funds from new investors to pay returns to earlier investors, rather than generating legitimate profits from investments.
*Note: The scheme begins by offering high returns on investments that seem too good to be true. These returns are often promised to be higher than those offered by traditional investments, with little or no risk.
13. Investment Scams
This is a fraudulent scheme designed to deceive individuals into investing money with the promise of high returns or financial gains. These scams can take various forms and are often characterized by deceptive practices, misrepresentation of investment opportunities, and a lack of transparency.
*Note: Scammers entice victims with promises of unusually high returns on investments, often with little or no risk.
14. Fake Telegram Admins Scam
This is a fraudulent scheme where scammers impersonate administrators or officials of Telegram groups or channels to deceive users into giving away personal information, money, or access to their accounts.
*Note: Scammers create fake profiles or accounts that mimic the appearance of legitimate groups or channel administrators.
15. Fake Surveys Scam
This is a fraudulent scheme where scammers create fake survey websites or promotions that appear to offer rewards or compensation for participating in surveys. Instead of providing actual rewards, these scams are designed to collect personal information, exploit users, or engage in other deceptive practices.
*Note: Scammers advertise fake surveys through various channels, such as email, social media, websites, or messaging apps. They often promise rewards like gift cards, cash, or prizes for completing the surveys.
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FAQ
Why do scammers steal accounts?
Attackers can steal Telegram accounts to send fraudulent messages. In addition, they can gain access to the personal data of the account owner, for example, sensitive information, photos of documents, bank cards, and details, if he previously sent them to someone, as well as engage in extortion of money.
How does Telegram deal with scammers?
Telegram actively fights against scammers of various levels. Back in 2019, the scam tag appeared in the messenger. It is received by channels that are suspected of fraudulent activity. The label is assigned based on user complaints and subsequent account verification by the administration. You can complain about a fraudster on the official account of the Antiscam team at @notoscam. But be careful — there are many different bots and channels with a similar name in the messenger. The official account has a verification icon.
What can be done to prevent Telegram scams?
There are many schemes of deception: they are constantly changing, and new and more sophisticated ones are taking the place of the old ones. Scammers can warm up the victim for a long time in their channel or in private messages and cheat after some time.
Unfortunately, the problem itself is now practically not solved in any way. Perhaps, thanks to the privacy policy that Telegram has, scammers feel confident. There is an official account that accepts fraud complaints on Telegram — @notoscam. If you encounter fraud, feel free to contact this account.
Conclusion: Protect Yourself from Telegram Scams
The Telegram app is a great tool for keeping in touch with friends and communicating with people from all over the world. It is enough not to lose vigilance, and you can use Telegram without fear of scammers.
Security in Telegram largely depends on the user himself. If you monitor your behavior in the messenger, the risk of meeting with intruders will be minimal.
Here are the main tips for protecting your Telegram account:
- Do not click on unfamiliar links.
- Avoid receiving financial advice, job offers, and any other questionable schemes from strangers.
- Set up two-factor authentication.
- Assign the owner of the channel an account from which you will not correspond.
- Do not transfer money through services unknown to you.
