Police warn of phishing scam targeting Telegram accounts

Police have warned the public to be wary of a phishing link being sent claiming to have photos, which then compromises the user's Telegram account.

These links are usually sent under the name of a close or trusted associate.

Police said that once users press the link, there is a request to provide the OTP that comes when the phone number is entered. If the OTP is provided, the scammers get control over the account.

Under this scam, messages are sent via a user's phone number as well without their knowledge.

In the instance that a user clicks the link and becomes victim to scammers, Police advise to immediately uninstall the Telegram application. As a security measure, enable two step verification when reinstalling the app.

Authorities in many countries have also raised concerns about the Telegram task scam, where users are asked to perform small tasks, promising payment.

According to the Police Anti-Scam Centre, over 130 scams occurred last May, resulting in losses of MVR 1.4 million.