Using Telegram for your business? It’s a great tool for team communication, customer engagement, and sharing updates—but its popularity has also made it a target for cybercriminals. Scammers have developed increasingly creative ways to exploit the platform, from phishing schemes and fake giveaways to impersonation and malware distribution, all while taking advantage of the app’s anonymity and ease of use.
The good news? Understanding how these scams work is the first step to protecting your business. In this article, we’ll break down the most common Telegram scams, explain how cybercriminals use the platform to carry out their attacks, and provide clear, actionable tips to keep your sensitive business data safe.
Telegram scam is a type of fraud that can occur on the Telegram platform. Scammers exploit the platform's most popular features (think of encrypted messaging, private channels, and anonymous user profiles) to deceive individuals and businesses.
While Telegram's focus on privacy and security is appealing to legitimate users, it unfortunately creates endless opportunities for Telegram fraudsters looking to exploit its users.
In fact, the platform’s anonymity is a major reason why Telegram scams are on the rise. Scammers can create fake accounts, impersonate businesses, or operate within private groups to avoid detection. The most common Telegram scams include phishing schemes, fake giveaways, and malware distribution, all of which put users and businesses at risk.
Businesses are especially vulnerable as cybercriminals increasingly leverage Telegram for cyberattacks. From impersonating C-level executives to delivering malware disguised as legitimate business files, Telegram scams can lead to severe consequences, ranging from data breaches and financial losses to hard-to-recover reputational damage.
Telegram scams usually begin with cybercriminals abusing the platform's unique features to commit fraud and trick users. Scammers often employ social engineering tactics, such as impersonation scams, to trick victims into sharing personal information or clicking on malicious links.
For example, scammers may impersonate top-level executives, act as customer support and perform tech support scams, or promote fake investment opportunities. In some cases, they distribute malware via Telegram bots or channels, infecting devices and stealing both personal and corporate data.
By taking advantage of Telegram's anonymity and wide-reaching capabilities, scammers can execute the full chain of attack to infect devices and steal data without being noticed.
Telegram is becoming a preferred tool for cybercriminals targeting businesses, and several factors contribute to its rise as a threat vector:
Due to these features, businesses need to be more vigilant in recognizing potential risks associated with Telegram and implement proactive measures to safeguard sensitive data from being compromised.
Telegram has become a prominent platform for various types of fraud, with scammers continuously finding new ways to exploit its features. Understanding these threats is crucial for protecting your business. Here are 10 of the most common scams targeting companies and their employees:
This is one of the most dangerous and common Telegram scams. Cybercriminals impersonate top-level executives, like CEOs or CFOs, using social engineering to deceive employees. They create fake Telegram accounts and send urgent messages that pressure victims to transfer money, provide sensitive financial information, or share confidential company data without verifying the source. This type of scam relies on urgency and authority to bypass critical thinking and can lead to significant financial or data loss.
Telegram bots and direct messages are a favorite delivery method for malware. Scammers disguise malicious files or links as legitimate documents, such as a business file, a job listing, or a software update. Once clicked, these suspicious links can install malware on a victim’s device, steal sensitive information, or give attackers remote access to a company’s network. It’s a quick and silent way for a threat actor to gain a foothold within an organization’s systems.
Phishing scams on Telegram often involve websites that are perfect clones of legitimate business pages or login portals. The scammers send links to these fake sites, which are designed to trick users into entering their login credentials. Because these phishing domains can look nearly identical to the real ones, unsuspecting employees may share their credentials, putting personal and business data at serious risk.
Telegram has become a thriving marketplace for cybercriminals to buy and sell stolen corporate credentials. After malware is used to harvest internal login information from infected devices, the attackers can sell these “stealer logs” in semi-private Telegram groups. This allows them to monetize stolen data and can lead to a domino effect of further attacks, including large-scale data breaches.
In this type of scam, cybercriminals mimic a company's name, logo, or official messaging to create fake support channels or groups. These scam accounts are used to deceive customers or business partners into providing personal information, making fraudulent payments, or downloading malicious files. Because these fake channels can look incredibly legitimate at first glance, victims are often tricked into interacting with attackers without realizing they're being targeted.
Scammers create Telegram channels that mimic legitimate brands, news outlets, or influential public figures to gain trust. These channels often have a similar name, logo, and messaging style to the official ones. Once a user joins, the channel administrators may send a direct message with a phishing link, a malware-infected file, or a request for personal information, all under the guise of what looks like official communication. The primary goal is to deceive users into thinking they are interacting with a trustworthy source.
With the rise of cryptocurrency, Telegram has become a hotbed for fake investment schemes. Scammers often pose as financial experts or crypto gurus, promising “guaranteed” returns on investments or offering exclusive trading tips. They may invite users to private channels and pressure them to send money or crypto. These scams often end in scammers disappearing with all the funds, leaving victims with no recourse.
Some scammers pose as Telegram support or technical support for other popular services, claiming to help users who are locked out of their Telegram accounts, have lost access to funds, or are experiencing other urgent problems. They often create a sense of pressure or panic, urging the user to act quickly. To “resolve” the issue, they may demand payment for their service or ask for sensitive information such as passwords, two-factor authentication codes, or remote access to the victim's device. Once given, this access allows scammers to steal personal data, take over accounts, or commit financial fraud, leaving the victim vulnerable to significant losses.
Telegram’s anonymity makes it a perfect place for fake job scams. Scammers impersonate recruiters and post bogus listings for high-paying positions that require little to no experience. Victims are often asked to pay for training materials or make an upfront deposit, but there is no actual job to secure. In other cases, the application process is used as a cover to collect personal details for identity theft.
Scammers can create fake Telegram groups or channels that run seemingly official giveaways or contests from well-known brands. To claim a prize, users are instructed to click a suspicious link, provide personal information, or even pay a small processing fee. These schemes are specifically designed to collect personal data for future attacks or trick users into paying for prizes that do not actually exist.
Detecting scams on Telegram can be quite challenging, but there are key red flags to look out for:
By staying alert and educating your team about these warning signs, you can reduce the risk of falling victim to Telegram bot scams.
If you got scammed on Telegram, taking quick action is important to minimize the damage. Here are the steps you should follow:
Taking these steps quickly can help you regain control and minimize the long-term impact of a Telegram app scam.
Preventing scammers on Telegram from taking advantage of your most sensitive information requires a proactive approach combining a set of tactics — from employee awareness and technical safeguards to ongoing monitoring. By implementing these strategies, you can reduce the likelihood of falling victim to scams.
Educating your team is one of the most effective ways to prevent Telegram scams. Train employees to recognize suspicious Telegram profiles, messages, and scam links. Encourage them to verify the authenticity of any unexpected requests, especially if they involve sensitive information, financial transactions, or clicking on links.
Regular phishing awareness training can help teams stay alert to increasingly smarter scam tactics and avoid falling for common social engineering attacks. This type of training also mitigates the risk of account takeover, which can later result in identity theft.
Use threat exposure management solutions to regularly scan Telegram for any misuse of your company's name or employee credentials. Scammers often impersonate businesses or use stolen data to trick victims. By monitoring for brand abuse or suspicious activity on fake Telegram channels, you can identify threats before they escalate. Solutions like data breach monitoring can help catch these issues early and protect your reputation. Don't forget to monitor the Telegram dark web for any leaked data that may be sold to malicious actors, exposing your organization to even greater risk.
Implement two-factor authentication or multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all accounts, especially those tied to sensitive business data. Ensuring this step adds an extra layer of security if credentials are stolen or leaked via Telegram channels.
Additionally, encourage employees to use password managers to generate strong, unique passwords for each account. Doing so helps limit the potential damage if an account is compromised, particularly when dealing with threat exposure, account takeover, or even identity theft incidents.
Monitor the dark web and stealer log databases for any signs of compromised credentials. Telegram scammers often sell stolen credentials in Telegram groups, which could be used to launch attacks against your organization.
By staying ahead of these threats, you can take action before exposed data is used in phishing campaigns or other malicious activities. Keeping an eye on threat exposure ensures you stay one step ahead in protecting your personal information.
NordStellar is an excellent platform for monitoring Telegram-based threats. It detects various domain manipulations and provides real-time dark web and data breach monitoring. With NordStellar, you can monitor potential threats, including credential abuse, before they cause significant damage to your business. The platform provides actionable alerts and detailed reports to help security teams respond quickly and reduce potential damage from Telegram scams.
Detect Telegram-based threats before they compromise your business and your personal information. Contact NordStellar to learn how our solutions can help your organization stay ahead of Telegram scams and cyberattacks.
Maciej Sikora
Senior Copywriter
A man on a mission to engage audiences with creative wordplay, Maciej knows every complex idea can be broken down into simple words—and that’s his driving force. When he’s not writing, you’ll find him making music, taking a walk with his dog, or watching yet another movie.
