Coolcryptovator's telegram impersonator. (Changed Telegram Username)

[The Cryptovator]

Since scammers continuously scamming with similar usernames, so I have decided to change my Telegram username to @COOLCRYPTOVATOR
I was quite surprised when yesterday I received a PM, an impostor trying to scam someone. The PM discussion is below.

Did you just contact me via telegram and attempt to sell me a gift card?

No. Be careful from scammer. My Telegram ID is @Coolcryptovator.

I figured

scammers telegram: @CooIcryptovator

I was more surprised when seeing the scammer's telegram username. The good thing is @MiLkz asks me to make sure if I am on the conversation with him on telegram. But the real concern is scammer used I (i) instead of l (L). It's just a matter of capital latter and small latter.

My telegram username is: @Coolcryptovator
Scammer telegram is: @CooIcryptovator
Looking it same, but when you copy-paste to search it will show two different users. I have sent PM to the scammer. It's been requested everyone, before dealing with me via telegram just make sure you are talking with me by sending a forum PM. I have added this to the telegram bio. I will not be responsible if you aren't dealing with me via forum PM.

[1715188526]

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[1715188526]

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[1715188526]

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[TalkStar]

My telegram username is: @Coolcryptovator
Scammer telegram is: @CooIcryptovator
Looking it same, but when you copy-paste to search it will show two different users. I have sent PM to the scammer. It's been requested everyone, before dealing with me via telegram just make sure you are talking with me by sending a forum PM. I have added this to the telegram bio. I will not be responsible if you aren't dealing with me via forum PM.

You have to get agree with me that the guy who have created this account with this username is quite talented. Usually people check difference like additional numbers or extra alphabet but its really hard to detect the difference when the difference is in for a specific alphabet. Honestly you can't stop these scammers who always looking for opportunities to complete their scam game.

Anyway, Thanks for letting us know about this and I don't think its gonna be a big issue for them who prefer to use forum PM rather than telegram. I will suggest you to add a line on your service management thread about this and hopefully that's gonna help thread visitors.    

[CryptopreneurBrainboss]

You have to get agree with me that the guy who have created this account with this username is quite talented.

Nah the scammer isn't that smart as it is just a common trick used to scammed users on twitter most especially verified account or fans based account with wide range of audience. I must admit it took quite some time for it to get to telegram as until @Coolcryptovator observation, I haven't seen any complain similar to yours from telegram.

Impersonating isn't something the forum is new to, I have been in similar situations and I'm sure others have had similar experience too most especially if you're offering a service or selling any goods on the forum, which is why I had to input a warning previously on all my service thread until the attacks died down.

Another media you can use to combat this scammers is to inform your clients to confirm they're speaking with the right person through DMs on the forum. I'm glad the scammers were not successful as scenario like this kind of paint you bad until the air is cleared.

[Upgrade00]

I would assume you created your telegram account after your profile here on the forum, reason for the similar names, so anyone contacting your forum identity should rightly go through this channel before getting into deals on other platforms. Also, for a scammer to attempt an impersonation, they usually have to message first, they check around to find a newbie asking some questions or requesting help on other platforms and then message them with bogus offers using fake identities. Someone sending unsolicited messages (using whichever identity) should be a huge red flag.

I have sent PM to the scammer.

You can report a scam account impersonating you to this profile on telegram https://t.me/notoscam
You can also consider sending an email to abuse@telegram.org about the relevant details.
These should get the fake account taken down to protect other members from such scams.

[dkbit98]

OP Did you noticed he tried to scam anyone so far or someone reported this to you?

It is very easy for scammers to make fake telegram accounts, and it is not easy for everyone to recognize fake accounts.
They copy profile picture, BIO and they use almost identical usenames, or they write username in BIO field

Best thing is to report him to telegram directly and they may ban him.

[logfiles]

Always happens when you are one of the highly trusted members in the community especially if you have a couple of service you offer in the forum. They will look for all avenues of trying to make use of your name to scam innocent partners.

Is there a possible way to report profiles that impersonate or scam in telegram like on Twitter?
I am not a regular Telegram user but I could help report the profile if it's possible so that it gets deleted

You can report a scam account impersonating you to this profile on telegram https://t.me/notoscam
You can also consider sending an email to abuse@telegram.org about the relevant details.
These should get the fake account taken down to protect other members from such scams.

Is it just for the person being impersonated or anybody else can report?

[Upgrade00]

Is it just for the person being impersonated or anybody else can report?

I believe it should be possible
The first option (https://t.me/notoscam) appears to be not very active as I'm still awaiting a reply to my message after some hours.
To report an account which is impersonating someone else, you can use the second option:
• Send a email to abuse@telegram.org with all the relevant information; In the title and also in the content of the mail, including the username of the impersonator; According to their FAQ, telegram does not locate profiles through screenshots.

The email account is human controlled, so they would not work as they were programmed, to only attend to specific complaints, but would check out any abuse based on information given. Considering that an impersonated person may not be aware of the scam activities, they should consider reports from third parties.

[cryptoaddictchie]

You can report a scam account impersonating you to this profile on telegram https://t.me/notoscam
You can also consider sending an email to abuse@telegram.org about the relevant details.
These should get the fake account taken down to protect other members from such scams.

Hello if used this feature of reporting will the account associated be turn down even so he already changed username again to escape his crime? I never knew this way but its good to know that we can report them anf telegram could do such thing. What will happened on these account reported and found guilty? Will his account never gonna be able to message again or the user will be labeled as scammer? Even keep changung username? Thanks for this information very useful.

[The Cryptovator]

OP Did you noticed he tried to scam anyone so far or someone reported this to you?

Till now I haven't received any claim about the scam. But scammer has been trying hard to scam, today I have received DM from a user who received an offer from the scammer about selling PayPal. I notified him just to deal with me via the forum with a sign message. I don't even have a PayPal account.

You can report a scam account impersonating you to this profile on telegram https://t.me/notoscam
You can also consider sending an email to abuse@telegram.org about the relevant details.
These should get the fake account taken down to protect other members from such scams.

I think it will not work, everyone is allowed to open account whatever username. Telegram wouldn't prevent them is there is no existing username. But most likely if reported by many users then it would work.

[sheenshane]

I think it will not work, everyone is allowed to open account whatever username. Telegram wouldn't prevent them is there is no existing username. But most likely if reported by many users then it would work.

Yes, if that is reported of few telegram users it will surely have a mark after the user name and it would be marked as "SCAM".

Just try it to report and ask the community to report too (just like what I'd did). Upon checking both telegram accounts, you and the impersonator it's clear that there's an impersonation because of having the same profile photo which is the same as your telegram account. Meaning to say, there's an intention to act like you and might to scam people because you're a campaign manager and quite popular here in the forum.

[The Cryptovator]

Just try it to report and ask the community to report too (just like what I'd did). Upon checking both telegram accounts, you and the impersonator it's clear that there's an impersonation because of having the same profile photo which is the same as your telegram account. Meaning to say, there's an intention to act like you and might to scam people because you're a campaign manager and quite popular here in the forum.

Have sent a message to @notoscam, but not yet getting responses. I will ask the community if I can report it successfully. Just now another person contacts me via telegram who was going to deal with the scammer. When that person asks the scammer to send him PM via forum then the scammer refuses to do it. Then he comes to me via my profile telegram username. Then I forward this thread to him.

That's the reason why always I have been suggesting peoples send me a PM regarding any financial deal with me, and suggest them to do the same with other forum users as well. I just want to encourage people for good practice, so they could use it with other users as well and would save their funds from scammers.

[TalkStar]

Have sent a message to @notoscam, but not yet getting responses. I will ask the community if I can report it successfully. Just now another person contacts me via telegram who was going to deal with the scammer. When that person asks the scammer to send him PM via forum then the scammer refuses to do it. Then he comes to me via my profile telegram username. Then I forward this thread to him.

It seems to me that someone intentionally trying to use your reputation for his/her evil wishes. Good thing is that you have detected the activity before anyone get scammed. Although its not easy to say thst someone will not put his foot on this trap but you did good by informing the community about this attempt. I think this scammer is following your service thread and targeting them who will be interested to use your service.

Based on current situation i will suggest you to continue your service related discussion through forum PM untll you get the result of telegram report submission.

[Pffrt]

It seems to me that someone intentionally trying to use your reputation for his/her evil wishes. Good thing is that you have detected the activity before anyone get scammed.

Coolcryptovator is trusted among the community and it's very easy for someone to get paid first if they can impersonate him. That's the goal. There are a lot of such cases. That's why it's always better to neglect dealing through telegram. There are even impersonator of people who even didn't share their telegram here 

[eddie13]

Use
Signed
Messages

[Upgrade00]

I think it will not work, everyone is allowed to open account whatever username. Telegram wouldn't prevent them is there is no existing username.

This is a good point and no one has monopoly to a name, but unethical practices, like dubiously looking to make your name and account look like that of another as well as sending messages which imply such impersonation can create a very strong case to get a user restricted.

Have sent a message to @notoscam, but not yet getting responses. I will ask the community if I can report it successfully.

I have also been waiting for a reply to my message for about 24 hours now, could have been that the account is currently inactive, but the message was delivered already, so maybe not.
You could try the second option, emailing them with all relevant details. Refer to my previous reply for some of the requirements you would need to make a comprehensive complaint.

Use
Signed
Messages

This is the best safety practice regardless of where the communication was initiated, unfortunately many new members are not aware of how to sign a message, and also to verify one.

[Harlot]

In this case where your official username can be impersonated because of the use of an I for an L I guessed for people with the similar usename I think the best option for you is for you to be the one contacting first in Telegram and not your buyer/client since all of this will be avoided. If you did it this way I bet it would avoid the confusion if someone will contact them with a similar user since they already know who are they talking with.

[Boris007]

Hi Coolcryptovator, Few days back I received a PM from your telegram handler for sending the skrill first and I agreed on that as you had good reputation but I insisted on the telegram guy to send me a PM over bitcointalk as it would e fair then to open a scam accusation if the trade failed. The telegram showed me the bitcointalk link and said that I can check the telegram handler name here and in your bitcointalk profile and to be amazed both were same, yet I insisted on him to send me a PM over bitcointalk.

I believe you had lost or changed your Telegram account as the one mentioned over your bitcointalk is used by some scammer.

[The Cryptovator]

Good practice, you just saved your assets from a scammer. I never exchange anything on the forum like skrill. Even I don't have a skrill account. That's why I have been suggesting always to deal via forum account. So you can at least create an accusation with valid evidence. Telegram becomes a safe haven for scammers, so verify any pieces of evidence of Telegram is quite complicated. Anyone able to use my forum information on the telegram since its public. But no one can sign a message from my stake address and can't send you a PM from my account unless it's hacked. So better practice is to ask also sign a message from stake address via forum PM

[Charles-Tim]

Good practice, you just saved your assets from a scammer. I never exchange anything on the forum like skrill. Even I don't have a skrill account. That's why I have been suggesting always to deal via forum account. So you can at least create an accusation with valid evidence. Telegram becomes a safe haven for scammers, so verify any pieces of evidence of Telegram is quite complicated. Anyone able to use my forum information on the telegram since its public. But no one can sign a message from my stake address and can't send you a PM from my account unless it's hacked. So better practice is to ask also sign a message from stake address via forum PM

I always appreciate your posts about scammers on this forum. Normally, a stranger should be treated like a stranger, also so far private key or any other sensitive information are not part of a deal, which should not also be part of a deal,  I do not see the reason why deals should be done on any other platform than this forum, it even makes it more official and also transparent. And about signing a message, this is a very good idea, I have two bitcoin wallets, I imported the address of one wallet to another wallet to sign a message with it, the other wallet rejected the address, which means only the addresses generated by a wallet can be used to sign a message, else it will not work. That means if I want to make a deal with someone on this forum, I can ask him to use his staked address to sign a message and send me, if he does and it verifies, it means I am dealing with the owner of the account because if anyone else use the staked address to want to sign a message, the signing will not be approved by the wallet the person/scammer used which is different from the owners wallet and will not verify. And asking the user to use today's date to sign the message will be the best to avoid manipulations.

[The Cryptovator]

My bad, someone claimed on the telegram that he sent $250 to the impersonator. I wrote a note on my profile about that impersonator, and there is two BTC address for escrow funds. But don't know how that person falls into a trap and lost $250 worth of ETH. Even I change my telegram username still impersonator could scam peoples since the forum username exists the same. I don't want to request the admin to change my username of the forum. What else can I do to prevent that scammer? Reporting to the telegram team isn't working.