Hacked Friend Scams on Telegram
Scammers hijack or impersonate contacts on Telegram to request money, codes, or investment buy-ins, exploiting trust and the app's anonymity.
Part of: Hacked Friend Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
On Telegram a hacked friend scam reaches you through a contact you trust, but the platform's loose identity model gives scammers extra room: usernames can be copied, and an account taken over via a stolen code can message everyone in its history.
The scam converts your trust in a contact into a payment or a code. Whether the account is genuinely compromised or merely impersonated with a matching name and photo, the aim is to make an urgent request feel credible before you can verify.
How this scam works on Telegram
A message from a contact's account describes an emergency or a lucrative opportunity — a crypto deal, a trading group, a stranded situation — and asks you to send funds or forward a verification code 'sent to you in error'.
Forwarding the code can surrender your own account; sending money loses your funds; joining the 'opportunity' leads to an investment scam. The hijacked account then targets other contacts with the same approach.
The urgency and the trusted source are designed to suppress the simple verification step of contacting the friend directly.
Common red flags
- A contact suddenly asks for money, a code, or to join an investment
- You are asked to forward a verification code 'sent by mistake'
- The request is urgent and discourages contacting the friend directly
- The username closely matches a contact but is subtly different
- Payment is requested via crypto, vouchers, or transfer
- The account recently changed its name or photo
How to protect yourself
- Contact the friend on a known channel to confirm before acting
- Never forward a verification code to anyone, even a contact
- Be wary of investment 'opportunities' shared by contacts
- Enable two-step verification on your own Telegram account
- Do not send money via irreversible methods on the strength of a message
- Report and block the account if it is compromised or impersonating
How to report it
- Use Telegram's 'Report' option on the user or message
- Warn the real friend so they can recover and secure their account
- File a report with your national fraud or cybercrime reporting centre
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if a Telegram contact's account is hijacked?
Sudden requests for money or codes, investment pitches, or a username that is subtly different from usual are warning signs. Contact the friend through another channel to confirm, and never forward a verification code.