Short answer
Write to @NoToScam, Telegram's official contact when a scammer pretends to be you, with the fake's link and your official channel. Ask your team and community to report the fake in the app too. Telegram marks chats reported by many users with a FAKE or SCAM label. Then pin your official links and warn members that admins never write first.
Who this is for: Crypto teams whose Telegram channel, group, bot or admins are being copied.
Step by step
- Save the evidence. The fake's @username and t.me link (as text), screenshots of its profile and of messages that ask for money, a seed phrase or a wallet connection, and the date.
- Message @NoToScam. Telegram's FAQ says: "If a scammer is pretending to be you, please contact @NoToScam." Send the fake's link, your official channel's link, and one sentence on what the fake does. Write from an account that is an admin of your official channel.
- Report in the app. Tap a message on Android, hold it on iOS, or right-click it on Desktop or Web, then choose Report. For a fake profile, pick the fake account reason. Ask your team and trusted members to do the same.
- Email the evidence. Telegram also runs an automated takedown address, [email protected]. If the fake copies your logo or posts, send a copyright complaint to [email protected].
- Warn your members. Pin a short message: the fake's @username as text, your real links, and that admins never write first.
Telegram's report channels
| Channel | Use it for |
|---|---|
| @NoToScam | A scammer pretending to be you or your project |
| In-app Report | Any message, account, channel or bot; reports reach Telegram's moderators |
[email protected] | Automated takedown requests with links and evidence |
[email protected] | Bots, channels or sticker sets that copy your copyrighted content |
| @Username_bot | Claiming a taken username you hold on two of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram |
| @VerifyBot | Applying for the official checkmark |
SCAM and FAKE labels
Telegram can mark a user, channel or group with a red label. Its API describes the SCAM flag as "This channel/supergroup is probably a scam" and the FAKE flag as a chat "reported by many users as a fake or scam". The label shows to everyone who opens the fake, so community reports help even before Telegram removes it. Telegram does not publish how many reports it takes.
Protect your own channel
- Put your Telegram link on your website. It is the simplest proof of which channel is real, and Telegram's verification asks for the same link.
- Keep one official links page that lists every real channel, group and bot. See the public page guide.
- Lock down your group. Hide the member list, turn on Aggressive Anti-Spam and give admins titles. See stop fake admins on Telegram.
- Search for new copies weekly. Search Telegram for your project name and ticker; fakes often add "official", "support" or "airdrop".
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What is @NoToScam?
Telegram's official account for reports of scammers pretending to be someone. The Telegram FAQ says: "If a scammer is pretending to be you, please contact @NoToScam."
How does a channel get the SCAM or FAKE label?
Telegram's API describes the FAKE flag as a chat "reported by many users as a fake or scam". Telegram does not publish the exact criteria, so ask your community to report the fake in the app.
Can I get the username the fake is using?
Telegram can help you get a taken username if you hold the same username on at least two of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram; ask @Username_bot. This does not apply to collectible usernames sold on Fragment.
Can my channel get a verified checkmark?
Apply through @VerifyBot. Telegram generally verifies chats of projects that have notable verified accounts on at least two other social networks and press coverage, which is hard for most small projects.