When “Hello” Means Trouble: The Telegram Scam Epidemic | by Ben Rothke | Jun, 2026 | MediumSitemapOpen in appSign up<br>Sign in

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When “Hello” Means Trouble: The Telegram Scam Epidemic

Ben Rothke

5 min read·<br>Just now

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ChatGPTTelegram — loved by scammers<br>British statistician George Box famously observed, “All models are wrong, but some are useful.” The same could be said about the statement, “Everyone on Telegram is a scammer.” It isn’t literally true, but it’s often a useful mindset when someone you don’t know contacts you out of the blue on Telegram.<br>Telegram is a legitimate messaging platform used by hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Businesses, families, journalists, and communities rely on it every day. The problem isn’t Telegram itself; it’s that many of its core features make it especially attractive to cybercriminals.<br>Why Scammers Love Telegram<br>Telegram offers a combination of anonymity, scalability, and automation that few other messaging platforms can match.<br>Some of its core security and privacy features include:<br>Anonymity<br>A Telegram account requires only a phone number to register. Users can then hide that phone number and communicate solely through a username. If an account is reported or banned, creating another one is relatively easy.<br>Minimal Identity Verification<br>Unlike LinkedIn, many dating applications, or other professional platforms, Telegram does not require users to verify their real-world identity. While scammers exist on every platform, Telegram makes it especially easy for them to remain anonymous.<br>The Perfect Migration Platform<br>Many scams don’t begin on Telegram.<br>Instead, the scammer first contacts a victim through Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, SMS, email, or a dating application. After establishing initial contact, they suggest moving the conversation:<br>“I’m rarely on here.”<br>“This is my business account.”<br>“Let’s continue on my personal Telegram.”<br>Moving the conversation serves several purposes. It removes the discussion from the original platform’s moderation systems, makes reporting more difficult, and places the victim in an environment where scammers have greater control.<br>In many cases, they’ll even ask you to switch to a second Telegram account, keeping the first in case it is reported or suspended.<br>Press enter or click to view image in full size

What all that means is that the same benefits that Telegram offers to those in oppressed countries and locations such as China, Iran, Gaza, and more make it an appealing and powerful platform to scammers in China, India, and Myanmar.<br>Telegram and Pig-Butchering: A Perfect Match<br>Pig butchering cryptocurrency scams are a brilliant yet simple attack vector and among today’s most profitable cybercrimes.<br>Telegram’s APIs are legitimate developer tools for building automated messaging and more. Unfortunately, scammers use these same capabilities to scale their operations.<br>Some of the most common abuses include:<br>Automated “investment advisors” promising guaranteed cryptocurrency returns.<br>Bots that simulate profitable trading accounts.<br>Fake customer support representatives.<br>Large groups filled with fake testimonials and fabricated success stories.<br>Automated systems that track dozens — or hundreds — of victims simultaneously.<br>Automation allows scammers to nurture victims over weeks or months while making the operation appear personal.<br>Two Conversations, One Playbook<br>Last week, I encountered two different Telegram scammers. Although they used different names, both followed nearly identical scripts.<br>Rosalie<br>Rosalie began with the classic “Are you person X?” approach. After apologizing for contacting the wrong person, she attempted to turn the mistake into a conversation.<br>Press enter or click to view image in full size

Shortly afterward, she asked me to move to another Telegram account.

Once there, she restarted the conversation and, as expected, sent an attractive profile picture.

One characteristic common to these scams is an unwillingness to communicate by voice or video. Most rely heavily on translation tools or scripted responses. A real-time conversation makes maintaining deception much more difficult.<br>When I suggested a phone call, she refused. Scammers never want to talk in real life. They often use translation tools, and talking would reveal them as scammers.

Marina (“Coffee Queen”)<br>Marina, who introduced herself as the “Coffee Queen,” followed nearly the same playbook.

When I asked to speak by phone, she refused. When I pointed out that the behavior matched a common scam, her response confirmed my suspicions.

Use Telegram? Use caution!<br>Not everyone on Telegram is a scammer.<br>However, if an unknown person contacts you with a vague introduction, claims to have found your number through an old phone, asks you to move the conversation to another account, refuses voice or video communication, and eventually steers the...