Scam Alert:(Phishing Scam On Telegram)

[Fiasem20]

Greetings Mates!I decided to create this topic to keep everyone informed about a rapidly growing scam trending on telegram.I've received two messages from unknown persons on Telegram,one on June 21 and another yesterday,both promoting the same scam.Initially,I ignored the first message,recognizing it as a potential scam. However,the second message prompted me to investigate further.When I clicked on the link,my browser issued a warning,confirming my suspicions of a phishing attack.Here is the warning my browser issued to me;


Detailed explanation on what the phishing tactic looks like :you'll receive a message from a scammer with a link, claiming to feature your pictures on a website.The goal is to pique your curiosity and entice you to click the link. However,it's wise not to investigate further,as these sites are often malicious and can pose a significant threat.Here's an example of what the message might look like;



Conclusion
Stay informed and be guided.

[Charles-Tim]

It is even not having SSL/TLS certificate which would be one of the reasons I can not click on it.

Not advisable to go further but just avoid the links.

I definitely know that you do not know the person which causesd the suspicion andyou are right about it. I also would have just avoided the person. If the link is a file, it is a malware.

[Cookdata]

Detailed explanation on what the phishing tactic looks like :you'll receive a message from a scammer with a link, claiming to feature your pictures on a website.The goal is to pique your curiosity and entice you to click the link. However,it's wise not to investigate further,as these sites are often malicious and can pose a significant threat.Here's an example of what the message might look like;

Other than what you said, the links are obvious from the domain and the website name but there is something you need to know. Avoid any website that doesn't have an SSL certificate. The warning you are seeing isn't because the content of the website is enirely phising even though it's because it is coming from Telegram, the domain and the name but your browser( chrome or firefox) is telling you that the website connection is not secure, anything sensitive you put on that websites will not be encrypted and it's a big threat to your privacy.

- The website itself looks like a scam.

- Doesn't have a secure connection because it's not encrypted.

Take a look at this thread page link. You can see from the Chrome browser that the connection is secure. Any sensitive details you enter on this page are encrypted and cannot be read by anyone who tries to intercept your connection.



The second image is the phishing website, warning you that the website is not secure. Whenever you visit a website, whether it's legitimate or not, if it doesn't have an SSL certificate, avoid visiting the website.

[freedomgo]

That kind of scam has been around for a long time. I actually received one on my Facebook account before, and I even clicked the link.
If I remember correctly, I ended up changing my Facebook password right after. Lesson learned on my part,  never click links from strangers. Scams are everywhere, and once you fall for it, regret usually comes right after.

[examplens]

It is even not having SSL/TLS certificate which would be one of the reasons I can not click on it.

The page was created only for extortion and is most likely to spread malware. Someone who is so naive as to think that it is a real conversation will not even look at the SSL certificate or the credibility of the site.
In the end, who even takes communication via telegram with random unknown persons?

[Coyster]

You should have blocked the scammer the first time he sent you that link. The moment a complete stranger finds his way into my DM on social media with unsolicited messages, i just block them and delete the chat. Just so you know OP,  this is not something new, scammers have used this method for a very long time, i for one have received messages like this a couple of times in the past.

In the end, who even takes communication via telegram with random unknown persons?

Naive people who know nothing about security over the internet, and there are a lot of such people out there.

[pawanjain]

Greetings Mates!I decided to create this topic to keep everyone informed about a rapidly growing scam trending on telegram.I've received two messages from unknown persons on Telegram,one on June 21 and another yesterday,both promoting the same scam.Initially,I ignored the first message,recognizing it as a potential scam. However,the second message prompted me to investigate further.When I clicked on the link,my browser issued a warning,confirming my suspicions of a phishing attack.Here is the warning my browser issued to me;
snip

Detailed explanation on what the phishing tactic looks like :you'll receive a message from a scammer with a link, claiming to feature your pictures on a website.The goal is to pique your curiosity and entice you to click the link. However,it's wise not to investigate further,as these sites are often malicious and can pose a significant threat.Here's an example of what the message might look like;

Those links obviously look fishy. Even a fresher with basic computer knowledge would know that those links are a scam.
The scammer was too lazy I guess or may be he was a rookie to play such a trick on you.
But anyway, it's good that you are sharing it here for others to stay aware and not fall for such tricks.

[348Judah]

I've received two messages from unknown persons on Telegram,one on June 21 and another yesterday,both promoting the same scam.

Once i noticed something of this nature, then i block the user straight forward without hesitation, because there is no need of wasting time in reading what they have to offer, giving them audience is one of the ways we have already surrendered ourselves to them for further penetration, because its not proper enough for us to accept or engage in a conversation with someone we don't know, how do they managed to get our telegram username to have sent the message at first place, you cant see me join a random group i don't know about and once i noticed such, i exit myself and block such.

[Liliana1304]

So if there are photos of you on the website, what's the problem? Telegram is a known hub for scammers and if I were you I wouldn't have taken it so seriously because first thing, there's no SSL certificate and second, the pattern with which the user approached you should have told you what you needed to know.

[Peanutswar]

TG is one of the safe haven of the scammers right now and it seems the TG knew this too reason why they make a premium access to the account to have this feature and if get a message from an unknown person and then they carried with their suspicious link as possible avoid or block immediately because its for your own safety, we know others will try to visit and troll for a time but no one knows what will happen next instead having a damage with yourself immediate cut it off as possible.

[KawanXBT]

The scammer makes a good bait, he tests how curious we are to see what is related to us. Some people who often get messages like that can immediately know that it is a scam, the problem is if someone doesn't know that it is a scam, it could be a small problem that becomes big, especially if it involves crypto assets.

[Cantsay]

So if there are photos of you on the website, what's the problem? Telegram is a known hub for scammers and if I were you I wouldn't have taken it so seriously because first thing, there's no SSL certificate and second, the pattern with which the user approached you should have told you what you needed to know.

That was probably used to get the attention of the Op, if they just send the link without anything - then it won’t have recieved any click but if they use such caption like the one in the image above; it would get people curious as to why their pictures would be on a site they don’t recognize and when they try clicking on it, they’d probably receive a prompt for them to login with their social media details to be able to view the image.

That’s just how this things works. I have received them before countless of time and that’s just how they work.

[Hyphen(-)]

The scammer makes a good bait, he tests how curious we are to see what is related to us. Some people who often get messages like that can immediately know that it is a scam, the problem is if someone doesn't know that it is a scam, it could be a small problem that becomes big, especially if it involves crypto assets.

As far as I am concern, I don’t take any unknown telegram message serious since I was once scammed through telegram. I gave it in mind that Telegram is a home of scammers, they will always look for ways to get new innocent users that are new to crypto and are in urge of making quick money; they do get these new users by offering them some good offers that are hard to believe, and these new users do fall for the scam all because they want to make quick money.

I have seeing such threads warning us to avoid clicking phishing links, yet some people do still fall for scams because they do t believe what is been thought here; I am happy that the browser the OP used showed him the potential risk involved and it is is a good idea to share with others so that every user will learn.

These phishing links can come through several ways not just on telegram, let’s always avoid clicking unknown links to avoid malware attacks.

[btcltcdigger]

Heh it's scary to think how many people fall for this, intrigued by the plain curiosity of it. Good things some of the tools we use today have these kind of warning systems. Few months ago i almost fell for a phishing site, has it not been for good old Metamask (or maybe was it Phantom) warning me that the website is compromised

[Davidvictorson]

With telegram I follow a set of rules that guides my interaction on that platform. The first rule is that I do not send personal messages to anyone that I do not know in real life. The second rule is that I do not respond to any direct messages from anyone. I even go further in this second rule to block whoever sends me hey direct messages that I do not know. Most times this messages have a link attached to them. I do not click or engage to stranger, that is the surest way to stay safe on telegram.

[DYING_S0UL]

Throughout the years, Telegram has upheld its reputation as the scammer's paradise, and it still does. So if you get any unsolicited PMs on Telegram, be sure it's 99.99% a scam attempt. No legit business will DM you first. This is exactly why you'll see many users setting their name as "won’t DM first". Tbh, if you’re a newbie, just avoid using Telegram, as well as Discord. These platforms pose extreme risks if not handled properly. A beginner user would definitely fall for one or two scam attempts here.

It is even not having SSL/TLS certificate which would be one of the reasons I can not click on it.
Not advisable to go further but just avoid the links.
I definitely know that you do not know the person which causesd the suspicion andyou are right about it. I also would have just avoided the person. If the link is a file, it is a malware.

Is is possible to get infected just by clicking the link? I'm not aware of it. AFAIK, unless the user opens the executable file (malware) you won't be affected. I can be wrong though. 

[coupable]

That kind of scam has been around for a long time. I actually received one on my Facebook account before, and I even clicked the link.
If I remember correctly, I ended up changing my Facebook password right after. Lesson learned on my part,  never click links from strangers. Scams are everywhere, and once you fall for it, regret usually comes right after.

I've never been a victim, but I remember this tactic being commun on Facebook, where victims could easily be convinced it was a real profile based on the information and activity. The hacker would promise profit through investment advice, or the account might belong to a girl with sexually suggestive photos. Naive people would believe them and click on malicious links without even checking the simplest methods, installing programs or downloading files they didn't know about. On Telegram, the situation becomes more suspicious because most of the accounts are fake profiles. However, I expect many would believe them, given Telegram's popularity.

[Ultegra134]

That's probably one of the oldest scams in the book, I'm wondering if there are still people falling for them. It has been widely discussed to not trust any link that looks fishy and from unknown people. Messaging platforms such as Discord and Telegram are full of scammers, and one main reason is that it's easy to impersonate other people or act like administrators/moderators. Don't trust anyone on the internet, scammers have gone out of hand, more and more attempts have been happening the past few years, and some have become extremely sophisticated.

[Charles-Tim]

Throughout the years, Telegram has upheld its reputation as the scammer's paradise, and it still does. So if you get any unsolicited PMs on Telegram, be sure it's 99.99% a scam attempt. No legit business will DM you first.

Exactly. I remember when I knew about crypto some years ago, I joined some groups on Telegram and that was how the scammers are knowing people to target. I easily know what they are and I avoided them.

Is is possible to get infected just by clicking the link? I'm not aware of it. AFAIK, unless the user opens the executable file (malware) you won't be affected. I can be wrong though. 

A file has to be downloaded before the malware can be able to do its work, but people will be advised to just not visit the link which is a good advice for those that do not know about malware.

[DYING_S0UL]

Throughout the years, Telegram has upheld its reputation as the scammer's paradise, and it still does. So if you get any unsolicited PMs on Telegram, be sure it's 99.99% a scam attempt. No legit business will DM you first.

Exactly. I remember when I knew about crypto some years ago, I joined some groups on Telegram and that was how the scammers are knowing people to target. I easily know what they are and I avoided them.

One thing I have noticed over the years is that, if you have a fresh account, without a single crypto group joined in, you would probably never get such messages from strangers. I have two accounts in that case, one filled with groups related to crypto like airdrop, bounty, projects and another with only trusted contacts. And to my surprise i never got any offers in that 2nd account but always getting PM's in the first one. So a new user should avoid joining in many groups, since it reduces such PM's. The best approach would be not using these platforms at all, unless you are fully prepared. It eliminates the chances of getting hacked/scammed.