Telegram scams: how to stay safe on the messaging app

A promising job offer or an exciting opportunity to invest in a “unique” coin may result in financial loss, a sender suddenly disappearing, and your sensitive data ending up for sale on darknet marketplaces.

With 950 million active Telegram users, scammers have made a serious shift to Telegram scams, which have now significantly surpassed traditional phishing in volume—increasing by 2,000% since November. Baits vary, but crypto giveaways, job offers, and romance scams top the list of scam tactics in 2025.

In this guide, we share the most common Telegram scams so you know how they happen—along with a checklist of warning signs to watch for and what to do if you have already been scammed.

Why scammers use Telegram

Telegram’s security is focused on privacy rather than scam protection. While it is used for legitimate needs, here are several features that make Telegram a safe haven for fraudsters:

Telegram’s privacy features and anonymity

Although both were originally designed to protect users, they inadvertently make it easier for fraudsters to operate. Threat actors can hide their phone numbers, sign up using unrecognizable usernames, and use end-to-end encrypted chats that can’t be monitored—shielding them from detection and accountability.

Lack of centralized moderation

Telegram lacks strict oversight, which creates a breeding ground for cybercrime. In contrast to other messaging platforms like WhatsApp and Signal, Telegram relies on user reports for content moderation, which is often slow and ineffective, especially with a large user base.

Global accessibility and reach

With Telegram’s vast international user base, cybercriminals can reach targets across different countries. This poses a significant threat not only to individuals but also to businesses engaged in global operations, as scammers often pose as foreign partners, vendors, or clients.

End-to-end encryption misuse 

Although Telegram’s end-to-end encryption is enabled through the “Secret Chat” feature, which is designed for privacy, it also creates a potential avenue for scammers. Intruders can benefit from anonymity and the lack of anti-fraud measures, particularly when users are unaware of the difference between regular cloud chats and Secret Chats. With untraceable discussions and scammers hiding their identities, victims are often targeted without immediate detection.

Top Telegram scams to watch out for

Data stolen through Telegram scams can later be used for identity theft, sold on the dark web, or both. Some of the most common schemes to be aware of are:

Fake investments and crypto scams

Scammers take advantage of Telegram’s active trading and investment communities by impersonating crypto experts. Their goal is to deceive users into handing over digital assets, money, or access to their accounts.

Most of these schemes promise a “guaranteed” return on your crypto investment. Scammers often initiate contact by responding to X (formerly Twitter) or Reddit comments, or by messaging directly on Telegram, claiming they can deliver a specific percentage of profit on the amount you invest.

If you continue the conversation, scammers might persuade you to register on their so-called exclusive cryptocurrency exchange platform. They build trust by sharing charts and graphs that show your “investment” growth. Once you try to take out your “earnings”, the scammer disappears—along with your account.

Crypto markets are extremely convenient for pump-and-dump Telegram app scams. Scammers claim to have insider knowledge and drive interest—as users invest, the price rises. This allows them to sell for a profit before it crashes and sometimes even charge fees for “VIP” membership to access these channels.

How to spot and what to do:

• Avoid anyone promising to provide risk-free profits—particularly in crypto—since legitimate investments never come with guaranteed returns.
  
• Ignore anyone claiming to share “insider” knowledge that isn’t widely known in the crypto world, such as predictions about the sudden rise of a specific currency.
  
• Avoid sharing money, crypto, or login details with anyone you’ve only interacted with through Telegram, WhatsApp, Signal, or similar messaging apps.

Phishing scams 

Telegram bots—created using natural language processing and artificial intelligence—can engage in highly realistic conversations, making it hard to spot scams in the first place at all. One recent example of such a scheme is SMSRanger. Intruders behind the bot pose as legitimate employees from banks and companies like PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and commonly used mobile carriers.

Once a victim’s phone number is identified, scammers may use bots like SMSRanger to send automated messages or impersonate trusted institutions. Sometimes they can follow up with a call, using social engineering tactics to trick victims into sharing details like bank logins, passwords, or two-factor authentication (2FA) codes.

Aside from bots, scammers can also trick users into revealing personal information through fake links and login pages. Hackers build fake websites or login pages that look like legitimate services, including Telegram’s own. Links can be sent through direct messages or in chats, often creating a false sense of urgency, such as requesting a password change, warning you that you’ve been hacked, or offering rewards or exclusive access.

How to spot and what to do:

• Ignore any false sense of urgency or “unique” offers until you verify them on the official website rather than clicking a link. 
  
• Double-check whether the presented information matches the company’s official contacts or country.
  
• Check the text for grammatical and spelling errors. 
  
• Block the user in case of any personal information requests. Banks or any other legitimate company will never ask for any passwords, account details, or 2FA codes under the pretext of “verifying” your identity.
  
• A trusted company or a customer support specialist will never reach out via Telegram unless you choose Telegram as a preferred communication channel.

Fake job offers

Since it’s common for people to share their Telegram usernames and phone numbers in CVs, employers and HR reps may reach out with a job proposal. Scammers can also exploit this vulnerability and target job seekers on Telegram with fake job offers and listings. 

These fake recruiters will ask for more information (such as your SSN) than is typically required for a legitimate job application. They may also ask you to pay for training materials using your own money or through a check they send you. 

Either way, you’ll end up with the bill and leaked sensitive data that could later be used for identity theft, and never be reimbursed.

How to spot and what to do:

• Before engaging in conversation, research the company offering the job. If there is no information about it on Linkedin or Google, no details about the recruiter, or no job listing on the official company website, it’s likely a scam.
  
• Remember that legitimate companies won’t require any payment from a potential employee. 
  
• Be aware of a nonexistent or unusually short interview process. 
  
• Be particularly wary of job offers you never applied for or are not qualified for.
  
• Ignore job offers that do not list requirements or expertise in a field, especially if a company asks for training fees before signing a contract.
  
• Be skeptical of “employers” offering high wages, flexible hours, and workplace benefits with minimal experience, especially if they require you to contact them over Telegram for an interview.

Romance and emotional manipulation scams

Many of these schemes either happen on or originate from apps like Tinder, Bumble, or Hinge. On Telegram, though, romance scams typically revolve around brief flings or are tied to explicit content.

After building trust, scammers may request financial “help” to supposedly cover travel costs so they can meet you in person. A red flag is payment through crypto, PayPal, Venmo, or gift cards, as these are untraceable. Sometimes scammers claim to send you money but will ask you for a small payment first to “verify” your identity.

In other cases, scammers may deceive or pressure you into sharing explicit images or videos, which they later use to blackmail you (i.e., extortion).

How to spot and what to do:

• Romance scammers will consistently come up with excuses to avoid meeting in person, often citing financial difficulties.
  
• They quickly try to turn communication into an intimate relationship by saying grand words, sending sensitive photos first (stolen from other accounts), and manipulating you by threatening a break up if you don’t reciprocate. Never send money to strangers, even if they promise to reimburse you after a small initial transfer.
  
• Don’t share personal information before meeting in person. 
  
• Don’t send photos or videos you wouldn’t normally post publicly—this helps prevent blackmail.
  
• Do not answer even basic questions about your family, personal life, or work, as this information can be used to hack your accounts.

Tech support impersonation

One of the most popular Telegram scams involves using bots to scan Telegram channels for keywords and phrases to find users communicating tech issues with companies. Once a target is found, threat actors pose as legitimate tech support agents and request credentials or try to gain remote control of a device to install malware under the guise of “assistance.” These fake accounts often display the legitimate names of services you use. 

How to spot and what to do:

• Be cautious of any “tech support account” that reaches out first and offers help, especially if you didn’t request assistance.
  
• If you run into any problems, make sure to reach out to the company through their verified support options.
  
• Steer clear of so-called “support” profiles asking for payment for upgraded services or offering paid help—they’re likely not legitimate.

Giveaway and prize scams

Threat actors may reach out to victims via Telegram, claiming they have won a prize and must pay a processing fee or share personal information to claim it. Victims may also be asked to complete a survey or provide personal details such as usernames, emails, or other sensitive data.

Sometimes scammers add victims to private “winners” channels. These groups are often filled with bots sharing how much money they “won” or expressing surprise that the giveaway is “legit.” Prize schemes are highly effective as they exploit people’s excitement or curiosity, often paired with high-pressure scamming methods on Telegram, such as short-lived giveaways. Once you send over the processing fee or personal information, threat actors take advantage of Telegram’s anonymity and simply disappear with your money and info.

How to spot and what to do:

• Verify any giveaway on the company’s official website or social media channels before engaging in conversation.
  
• Do not share any personal information that can compromise your identity or passwords.
  
• Ignore and block sudden “giveaway” channels, especially if you didn’t participate in one.

Impersonation scams

In addition to tech support impersonation, scammers also carry out general impersonation scams, harvesting data from digital traces, social networks, or dark web sources to convincingly pose as friends or family members.

For example, they may mimic a family member, claiming they’ve been in a car accident and need money to cover medical bills.

How to spot and what to do:

• Most scams involve money and a sense of urgency.
  
• Ask yourself whether the message truly sounds like it came from your friend or a family member. Is the wording unusual or the phrasing off? If you’re unsure and suspect something might be wrong, try bringing up something only the real person would recognize—like a recent get-together or chat that wasn’t mentioned online.
  
• If it’s a scam, block and report the account. Make sure to alert your friends and family so they can stay safe from falling into the same trap.

Telegram Premium scams

These schemes involve fraudulent messages offering free or discounted Telegram Premium subscriptions, which can lead to account hijacking or malware infections. Scammers can send you a “gift” subscription link that, once opened, steals your account credentials. Another tactic involves malicious apps disguised as Telegram Premium, which also steal personal and financial data.

How to spot and what to do:

• Don’t trust messages that offer free and discounted Telegram Premium subscriptions, especially from unknown sources.
  
• Check the username and legitimacy of the sender before opening the link or interacting with the person.
  
• Avoid opening any unknown links and attachments as a general rule.
  
• Turn on two-factor authentication to strengthen the security of your Telegram account.

How to identify a Telegram scam

Although scams differ their in form of bait, they all have several red flags to keep in mind. Here is a detailed checklist on how to identify a fake Telegram account and spot scams:

• Generic or AI-generated profiles: verify if an account uses a real image by performing a reverse image search.
  
• The handle (beginning with @) and the display name are inconsistent: look for any errors or mismatches in the name or bio.
  
• Accounts that were recently created and show little to no activity—minimal posts and almost no profile information.
  
• Fake contact details: contact information that doesn’t match what’s listed on a company’s official website.
  
• Too-good-to-be-true offers: highly engaging and promising offers that sound unrealistic.
  
• Unexpected messages that urge you to click questionable links, share private information, or take part in shady offers.
  
• Sense of urgency: this usually involves sending money or sharing personal information.
  
• Unexpected “romance” story: a sender manipulates you into sharing sensitive information, photos, or sending money to come visit you.
  
• Recruiters reaching out regarding vacancies via Telegram: especially suspicious if you never applied for the job.
  
• Unusual payment methods: payments via gift cards, wire transfers, or other untrackable methods that are difficult to reverse.
  
• Sudden “giveaway” chats created: admins with no bio, renamed groups, and bots trying to convince you how real these giveaways are or sharing how much they earned.

What to do if you’ve been scammed on Telegram

Telegram scams can be extremely convincing, causing panic and exploiting the victim’s trust. Tactics constantly evolve, making it harder and harder for victims to spot the warning signs. 

So if you accidentally become the victim of a Telegram scam, here is a step-by-step guide on what to do:

Stop communication and block the scammer

1. Navigate to the user’s profile.
2. Open the options menu (usually three dots), and choose “Block.”
3. You can manage the blocked users list in the “Privacy and Security” settings. 

Report the scam account to Telegram

You can send a detailed email to [email protected] with a clear subject line: “Report user @username,” relevant information, and screenshots if necessary. Or you can use the in-app “Report” feature:

1. Open the chat with the threat actor.
2. Tap on their profile picture or username to open their profile.
3. Scroll down and click “Report.”
4. Choose the reason for reporting, “Scam or fraud,” for example.
5. Confirm by clicking “Submit.”
6. Once submitted, the sender is flagged for review and may be added to Telegram’s scammer list.

Change passwords

If you’ve been scammed, your email, Telegram, banking, and social media accounts may be compromised. So the next step will be to create strong, unique passwords for each account. Add 2FA to every account where possible.

Monitor financial accounts and personal information

As an ongoing protection measure, watch for any unusual transactions. If the scam involves sharing identification data like your SSN or credit card details, it is recommended that you alert your bank or credit card provider to prevent identity theft.

Report to external authorities (for US readers)

• Visit reportfraud.ftc.gov.
• Click “Report Now.”
• Follow the prompts to describe the scam.

How to protect yourself on Telegram

Aside from recognizing warning signs, here are some tips on how to avoid getting scammed on Telegram in the first place:

• Use privacy settings wisely: use Secret Chats for end-to-end encrypted conversations. Add two-step verification (2FA), enable a passcode, and limit who can see your phone number and bio, and who can add you to groups.
  
• Reduce your digital footprint: avoid sharing sensitive personal information and media on social media, including Telegram. 
  
• Check synced devices: go to “Settings” > “Privacy and Security” and choose “Devices.” Delete any unfamiliar devices.
  
• Double-check new contacts’ usernames: be wary of usernames with unusual symbols, misspellings, or numbers, as they may be impersonation accounts. 
  
• Keep the app and phone updated: updates often include patches for vulnerabilities that hackers could exploit. Regularly updating your phone and Telegram ensures protection against the latest threats. 

Is Telegram safe to use?

Telegram isn’t the most secure messaging app, but  it can be used safely. Its privacy features are comparable to those of other messaging apps like WhatsApp (you can read more about whether WhatsApp is safe) and Signal (see our Signal review). Installing Telegram from official marketplaces won’t infect your device with malware. But, like any other app, Telegram isn’t 100% risk-proof.

Telegram chats aren’t end-to-end encrypted by default, but users can enable encrypted “Secret Chats.” It has several privacy tools, such as the option to hide your phone number and online availability, limit who can add you to group chats, enable the auto-delete messages feature, and more.

While all these features can be helpful for regular users trying to reduce their digital footprint, they can also be exploited by scammers. Telegram’s popularity, lack of scam moderation, accessibility, and user behavior make it a preferable platform for intruders.

Like any other app, Telegram can be safe when used wisely—by enabling its security measures and recognizing common scam red flags.

How Onerep can help protect your identity online

A large portion of your personal data—such as phone numbers, email addresses, and home details—may already be exposed on data broker websites. This makes it easier for scammers to launch personalized attacks. Onerep helps reduce that risk by scanning your digital footprint and removing your data from 200+ people-search sites.

Proactively reducing your online exposure is one of the most effective ways to prevent Telegram and other app-based scams. A smaller digital footprint makes it harder for scammers to gather the information they need to deceive you.

With Onerep’s continuous monitoring and automated data removal features, you can strengthen your online privacy before your data ends up on the dark web or in the hands of criminals. Start by running a free scan to see where your personal information is currently exposed.

FAQ

Do scammers use Telegram?

Yes, scammers often choose Telegram to commit attacks due to its availability, free-to-use model, anonymity features, and large user base.

How can I identify a fake Telegram account?

There are several signs to watch for. Misspelled or strange usernames are often red flags. Check for inconsistencies in profile details, such as a generic or stolen profile picture, minimal activity, poor grammar or spelling in messages or descriptions.

Why do scammers use Telegram?

Telegram is a preferred platform for scammers because of its strong anonymity features, popularity among crypto investors (a  common target group for Telegram app scams), and its large user base.

How do I avoid being scammed on Telegram?

Most Telegram scams share common warning signs. Key ones include a sense of urgency, too-good-to-be-true offers, generic or stock profile photos, inconsistencies or mistakes in the name or bio, false contact details, and unusual payment methods.