Don't Fall for Telegram Scams: How to Identify a Fake Telegram Account

"🔒Account Security Risk Alert. Your account has recently been logged in from an unusual device......🔗Verify your identity immediately → https://xxxx.xxx (The link is valid for 24 hours) "

That was the message I recently received on Telegram. At first glance, it looked official and I almost clicked. But something felt off — the link doesn't belong to Telegram domains. That's when it hit me: this was a Telegram scam.

Scenarios like this are becoming more common on Telegram. Scammers create fake accounts, pretending to be Telegram support, your friends, or influencers to steal money, personal data, or trust.

Therefore, it's important to know how to identify a fake Telegram account, the red flags to watch for, and how to keep your chats safe from scams.

How to Identify a Fake Telegram Account

Without much ado! To identify a fake Telegram account, watch for any of the following signs:

1No Verified Badge

In general, official accounts, especially those that belong to influencers and organizations, come with a blue tick badge. So, if someone pretends to be a public figure or the Telegram support team without the verification badge next to their profile, then it's an indication that the account is fake.

2Urgent Requests

Scammers love to create a false sense of urgency. This is to inculcate fear in their victims and ensure they don't have time to think clearly or double-check their trick. If you are told to respond or do something within a limited time, it is a sign you're being messaged by a fake Telegram account.

3Scam Links or Attachments

The ultimate purpose of scammers is to steal your money, hack your account, or get your personal info. That's why they often send links or attachments. So, if a strange account messages you and asks you to click a link or open an attachment on Telegram, it is a red flag.

4Grammar Errors or Unfamiliar Tone

Most times, the grammar and spelling in a scam message always look awkward and robotic, coming with errors. Moreover, you can identify a fake Telegram account by its language tone if it tries to impersonate your friends.

5Cloned Profiles

Most of these fake accounts are also fond of cloning real profiles, like influencers or crypto teams. Doing so makes them appear trustworthy and official to victims.

6Deleted Account

Telegram detects and bans accounts involved in spam, scams, or suspicious activity. If a stranger messaged you and later their profile shows as "Deleted Account," that means Telegram has banned the account because the account is fake.

How to Verify a Fake Telegram Account

Not every suspicious Telegram account is definitely fake. Sometimes profiles look unusual, but are still real. So, how can you verify if an account is real or just a scam? Try these steps:

Cross-Verify Identity

Also, try to double-check the identity of the contact to be sure you're not chatting with a fake account.

• If someone claims to be an admin, support team, or a business, visit the official site to contact them via official links or numbers.
• If they pretend to be your relative or friend and request money, ask them for a video call or reach out to them on other platforms.

Check the Profile Details

Once you receive a message from a suspicious account, the first thing you should do is to check the profile details meticulously.

Usually, scammers' bios are always empty. If their profiles are complete, it might be because they cloned others' profiles.

While the display name and profile photo can be copied, the username must be unique, so impersonators usually make small changes that are easy to miss at first glance. For example, the real account is @KarolinaGavr, while the fake one is @karolinaGavir (using Lowercase instead of uppercase, "vir" instead of "vr").

This time, just copy the username and search it directly in Telegram or use reverse image search to see if it's a cloned fake profile.

Additionally, if an account claims to be official but has no badge, it's fake.

Look for Scam Behavior

By now, you should know that some behaviors are exclusive to scammers. Whenever they chat with you, they'll make urgent requests, send links, etc.

Therefore, when you're told to click links, preview the link to double-check it before doing so. Plus, Telegram itself will never send login or verification links through chat.

How to Fight against Telegram Fake Accounts

If you've successfully confirmed that an account is fake, you've done a great job. Now, take the steps I highlighted below to avoid becoming a victim of their scams.

Ignore Them

When you receive a message from a fake account, don't respond or click their links, no matter how urgent their request. If you do so as they request, it may infect your device with a virus or malware that can leave your personal data exposed.

Block and Report the Account

You can also report and block the fake account. Doing that will not only help Telegram remove the account permanently but also prevent the scammers from interacting with you in the future.

💡Tips: Get Alerts When Fake Accounts Reach Out to Your Child

If your children prefer using Telegram for daily communication, there is a chance that scammers have reached out to them. Given their trusting nature and poor vigilance, it's best to stay involved in their chats to ensure they don't fall prey to any fake accounts.

Wondering how you can do this? Look no further than the AirDroid Telegram Monitor. Its social content detection lets you receive alerts and see details when scam keywords appear in your child's Telegram conversations.

What to Do If You Fall Victim to a Telegram Scam

"I got a message from a fake support account asking for a 5-digit Telegram number, and I gave it to them. What should I do for damage control?"

Immediate Actions

If you're currently in the same situation as this Redditor, don't fret. Instead, take these actions before it is too late.

Prevention Tips

To be honest, the best defense against Telegram scams is making sure it doesn't happen again. So, here are some tips you can use to reduce the chances of being targeted or tricked in the future.

Other Telegram Scams to Watch Out For

The most common scam fraudsters with fake accounts often deploy an impersonation scam. However, there are other scams fraudsters often use to deceive their target apart from impersonation. Check them out so you can spot them later!

Prize or Lottery Scams

Have you ever received a message saying you won a lottery and asking you to claim it? This is the typical scam. When you're trying to claim it via the scam link, your money or even personal info is exposed.

Romance or Dating Scams

In this scam type, scammers will build a fake romantic relationship with their victim. When this happens, their victim will trust them. Then, they begin to exploit their victim by demanding financial assistance.

Fake Job Scams

If you prefer using Telegram to seek jobs, then this scam is not rare. Once you accept the job scammers offer, you might be asked to pay for training fees for the job or fill out some sensitive information, such as bank details. Once fraudsters get these details, they'll find a way to move money out of it.

Cryptocurrency Scams

In this scam, scammers may pretend to be a crypto investor or a public figure. Then, they'll ask their victim to send their cryptocurrency to a fake wallet.

Conclusion

In sum, fake accounts are widespread on Telegram, and thousands of them are actively looking for whom to devour. To identify them, check for a verification badge and their bios. Then, look for if they display scammer behavior, such as sending scam links, making urgent requests, etc. Lastly, verify their claims and identity using another trusted platform. By doing so, you can stay safe and protect yourself from their tricks.

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