Telegram users in Russia today faced a new scheme to steal their accounts from scammers. This scheme has attacked a number of ordinary citizens, as well as major Russian journalists, in particular, representatives of the editorial office of the popular information Telegram channel BAZA. Victims are caught with promises of a free subscription to Telegram Premium.
Cybercriminals gain access to accounts using a fake gift. This is how it works. On behalf of someone you know, the victim receives a message that they have received a free Telegram Premium subscription.
To receive it, you need to follow the link and log in. After following the link and entering their data, the person loses access to the account, and family members, friends, acquaintances and colleagues begin to receive offers of a free gift on their behalf. In addition, the scammers will gain access to all information from the victim's personal messages.
Cybersecurity experts advise adhering to the following rules in Telegram to protect your account:
- never follow links, even if they come from acquaintances and look harmless: such as a photo contest, receiving gifts, bonuses, and so on. Check with the sender of the message through another communication channel whether they have been hacked and whether this is a genuine link;
- always use two-factor authentication to protect your account. If your data does fall into the hands of scammers, access to the profile will remain blocked;
- regularly check the devices connected to your account and always delete suspicious connections. After detecting suspicious devices and deleting them, change your passwords;
- do not enter data on third-party sites: Telegram never requires authorization via external links.
If you have fallen victim to scammers and lost access to your account, contact Telegram support immediately. Indicate that your account has been hacked and provide as many details as possible about what happened. Then warn all your close contacts not to follow links sent from your profile.
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