In short
Most common fake: Telegram support asking you to send the login code you just received.
Safest check: Only trust login codes in the verified Telegram service notifications chat, and never pass them on.
Where to report it: Use the Report button in the Telegram app to flag the scam message or account; if someone is impersonating you, contact @NoToScam.
What Telegram says
Telegram sends login codes only to the verified service notifications chat named Telegram in your chat list, and it says those codes should never be shared with anyone. It recommends turning on 2-Step Verification so a password is needed as well as a code, and it lets you flag scams with the Report button in any chat. Source: Telegram
Common fake Telegram messages
These are the 5 shapes a fake Telegram message usually takes. They are listed in the order we see them most often, and none of them is something Telegram itself does.
- Telegram support asking you to send the login code you just received
- Remote job paying you to like, rate or boost products, if you deposit crypto first
- Crypto trading group promising guaranteed daily profits
- Recruiter who insists on talking only through Telegram
- Free Telegram Premium or gift offer that asks you to log in on another site
Telegram's real web addresses
Genuine Telegram links and emails use these domains. Look at the part just before the first single slash: telegram.org is real, but telegram-support-center.com or telegram.org.account-check.top are not.
- telegram.org
- t.me
Scammers can also hide a fake link behind real-looking text. Learn how to read a web address.
How to check a Telegram message safely
- Only trust login codes in the verified Telegram service notifications chat, and never pass them on
- Turn on 2-Step Verification in Settings, Privacy and Security
- Check job offers on the company's official website, not a link from the chat
- Walk away from any job or investment that needs you to pay or send crypto first
How to report a fake Telegram message
- Use the Report button in the Telegram app to flag the scam message or account; if someone is impersonating you, contact @NoToScam. Official details on telegram.org
- In the US, report job, task and investment scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Official details on consumer.ftc.gov
Also report it to the official fraud service in your country. See the worldwide list.
If you clicked, paid or shared details
Act quickly. It makes a difference.
- If you entered card or bank details, call your bank now using the number on your card, and ask them to block the card.
- If you entered a password, change it at telegram.org, typed into your browser yourself, and turn on two-step verification. Do not use any link from the message.
- Expect follow-up calls or messages pretending to help, sometimes claiming to be from Telegram security. Never share one-time codes and never move money to a "safe account".
- Use the Report button in the Telegram app to flag the scam message or account; if someone is impersonating you, contact @NoToScam, then delete the message.
More help: Verification-code and account-takeover scams and what to do after a scam.
How to protect yourself next time
Turn on two-step verification, ideally with a security key
With two-step verification, a stolen password isn't enough on its own. A hardware security key goes further: it simply doesn't work on a fake site, so it can't be phished.
Free: Two-step verification is free. Switch it on in the security settings of your email, bank, WhatsApp and social media accounts today.
- YubiKey (Yubico) Partner link A small USB or NFC key you tap when you log in. It will not work on a fake site.
Use a password manager
It only fills in your password on the real website, so a look-alike login page gets nothing. It also makes a different password for every account, so one leak doesn't open the rest.
Free: Bitwarden has a free plan, and even the password manager built into your phone or browser beats reusing one password everywhere.
- NordPass Partner link Password manager with a free plan and a family plan for up to six people.
Compare the tools that help, and what each costs
Links marked Partner link may earn us a commission, at no cost to you. It never changes our advice, and the free option always comes first. Affiliate disclosure.
Questions people ask
Does Telegram send messages asking for payment or personal details?
Telegram sends login codes only to the verified service notifications chat named Telegram in your chat list, and it says those codes should never be shared with anyone. It recommends turning on 2-Step Verification so a password is needed as well as a code, and it lets you flag scams with the Report button in any chat.
How can I check if a Telegram message is real?
Only trust login codes in the verified Telegram service notifications chat, and never pass them on. Turn on 2-Step Verification in Settings, Privacy and Security. Check job offers on the company's official website, not a link from the chat. Walk away from any job or investment that needs you to pay or send crypto first.
How do I report a fake Telegram message?
Use the Report button in the Telegram app to flag the scam message or account; if someone is impersonating you, contact @NoToScam. In the US, report job, task and investment scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
I clicked a link in a fake Telegram message but did not enter anything. Am I at risk?
Opening a link is far less serious than filling one in. Close it, and if you need your account, reach it by typing telegram.org yourself. Clicking does tell the sender your number is live, so expect more messages for a while: use the report button in the telegram app to flag the scam message or account; if someone is impersonating you, contact @notoscam.
Have you had this one?
Tell other people what the message said and how it reached you. It helps someone recognise it before they tap.
No stories yet. Yours could be the one that warns someone.
Official sources and further reading
We check our pages against official advice from the organisations themselves and from government agencies.
- Telegram FAQ (Telegram)
- Spam FAQ (Telegram)
- How to spot and avoid task scams (Federal Trade Commission)
- Job offer through Telegram Messenger? Not so fast (Federal Trade Commission)