With the rapid development of the TON blockchain and Telegram platform, the combination of the two has rapidly increased the popularity of the cryptocurrency field, bringing more than 38 million active accounts. Such growth also introduces additional risks, which may not be obvious, especially to users new to cryptocurrencies. As a large number of new users join, scammers and malicious actors have gradually increased their attacks on these platforms, taking advantage of people’s ignorance of these new technologies to carry out various scams.
Blockchain technology itself is decentralized, which provides users with more freedom, but it also provides opportunities for scammers. Although TON and Telegram have actively strengthened preventive measures, users still need to be vigilant to avoid becoming victims of scams. This article will provide an in-depth analysis of common scams in TON and Telegram, and provide you with effective prevention suggestions to help you stay safe on these platforms and enjoy the various benefits of cryptocurrency.
Analysis of fraud techniques: Common risks in TON and Telegram
In the TON and Telegram ecosystems, there are many different types of fraud techniques, which often take advantage of users’ negligence and unfamiliarity with new technologies to commit fraud. The following are some common scam methods, each of which poses varying degrees of threats to users’ property and personal information.
Impersonating friends and relatives: Your friends ask for help
Scammers often send emergency messages to users by pretending to be relatives and friends, asking for money transfers or cryptocurrency. These scams are often very clever and the scammer may use social engineering techniques to make the victim think their friend or relative is really in trouble.
Prevention suggestions:
When encountering this kind of situation, do not rush to remit money or provide help. You should first contact the relative or friend directly to ensure the true identity of the other party and the authenticity of the request for help.
Phishing Scams: Fake Websites and Fake Links
Phishing scams are one of the most common forms of fraud in the blockchain world. Scammers will create fake websites that closely resemble the real ones, tricking users into entering login information, personal details, or passwords. Such websites may pretend to be official platforms or promotions, trying to steal users’ login credentials or directly steal funds.
Precautionary advice:
Always check the URL of a website to make sure it is spelled correctly and avoid clicking on links from unknown sources, especially those you encounter on Telegram. Any links from strangers should be viewed with caution.
Investment Scams: The Lure of Excessive Returns
This type of scam offers users “high return” or “risk-free” investment opportunities, promising huge returns in a short period of time. These investments are often fake. Scammers will create a seemingly credible investment project to attract users to invest money, and then disappear.
Prevention suggestions:
Faced with such investment opportunities, you should conduct a thorough background check to understand whether the project has credible evidence or legal operating records. If an investment opportunity sounds too tempting, it’s often a sign of a scam.
Fake surveys and giveaways: Stealing personal information
Scammers often ask for personal information through fake surveys, sweepstakes, or giveaways. These surveys often appear harmless, but are actually designed to collect users’ personal information or guide users to download malicious programs.
Prevention suggestions:
Do not participate in investigation activities of unknown origin, and do not share your personal information easily. Even campaigns that offer giveaways or awards should be treated with caution.
Fake Job Opportunities: Scam Job Recruitment
Scammers also lure users with fake job opportunities, asking for proof of identity or unnecessary payments. For example: Scammers may ask for a “background check fee” or “application fee.” This type of scam is very cunning because it takes advantage of people’s desire for work to trap them.
Prevention advice:
You should verify recruitment information through formal channels and remain highly vigilant of any job opportunities that require payment in advance.
How to Protect Yourself Effectively: Steps to Stay Safe in TON and Telegram
With scams emerging all the time, the best way to protect yourself from scammers is to be vigilant and take a series of security measures to protect your personal information and cryptocurrency. Here are some specific steps to protect yourself:
Enable two-step verification for Telegram
Two-step verification is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect your Telegram account. By enabling two-step verification, your account will ask for a security code sent from your phone or email in addition to your password. This way, even if your password is stolen, scammers without a second layer of security can’t easily gain access to your account.
How to enable:
- Go to “Settings” > “Privacy & Security” > “Two-factor Authentication”
- Set a strong password and recovery email
Verify contact identity
Scammers often pretend to be friends or family members to ask for your money or sensitive information. If you receive such a request, you should first verify the identity of the sender through other channels to ensure that they are indeed someone you know.
How to protect yourself:
If someone contacts you on behalf of someone you know and requests money or personal information, be sure to speak or video confirm with that person directly first.
Regularly check for active sessions
Telegram displays all logged-in devices and sessions, which is a great way to check if someone you know has hacked your account. Regularly checking these sessions can help you spot suspicious activity and take steps to protect your account.
How to check:
- Go to Settings > Devices > Active Sessions
- Check to see if any unknown device has logged into your account. If anything unusual is found, log out immediately.
Report suspicious activity
If you see someone committing fraudulent activity or being scammed, you should report it to Telegram immediately. Telegram is very strict about fraud and can quickly ban suspicious accounts.
How to report:
- Click on the suspicious user’s profile and select “Report”
- Select report type (e.g. fraud, harassment, etc.)
Avoid transferring cryptocurrency to unknown parties
Before transferring any cryptocurrency, you should verify the true identity and trustworthiness of the other party. Scammers often ask for funds to be transferred to unknown wallet addresses, which is an irrecoverable loss.
How to protect yourself:
Double-check the identity of the other party before transferring money, and only transfer cryptocurrency to people you know and trust.
Protect yourself and enjoy the crypto future of TON and Telegram
As the TON and Telegram platforms develop, they provide users with many unique opportunities, whether in cryptocurrency trading, social interaction, or community organization. However, these opportunities come with certain risks, especially for newbies. Scammers are always able to cleverly take advantage of people’s unfamiliarity with new technologies to carry out illegal activities. Therefore, only by staying alert and taking necessary precautions can we truly enjoy the convenience and benefits brought by blockchain.
For anyone using TON or Telegram, it’s crucial to remember a few simple security principles. First, enabling two-factor verification and regularly checking for active sessions can effectively protect your account from unauthorized intrusions. Second, avoid clicking on unknown links and treat any request, whether for money or personal information, from an unfamiliar contact with caution. Third, always use official channels for transactions and remain highly alert to any investment opportunities that are too good to be true. These steps may seem simple, but they can significantly reduce your risk of being scammed.
As we have seen, fraud is everywhere, whether it is virtual currencies or online social platforms, and malicious actors are constantly evolving their methods. However, each of us can effectively resist these risks and protect our digital assets and personal privacy by improving our own security awareness. The future of blockchain is bright, and as the technology develops, we will see more innovative applications and opportunities. But the foundation of all this is still to ensure that users can drive safely in this new digital world.
Let us stay alert, actively learn and apply these security precautions, so as to achieve more success in platforms such as TON and Telegram, and enjoy the various possibilities brought by cryptocurrency without being afraid of risks.
Read more:
About LayerPixel - Our Vision & Mission: About LayerPixel - Our Vision & Mission
Exploring the entrance to Ton Chain: Understanding cryptocurrency wallets in one article: Exploring the entrance to Ton Chain: Understanding cryptocurrency wallets in one article
A Letter to Telegram Mini Games Developers | LayerPixel’s Collaboration with Bot Gameyard: A Letter to Telegram Mini Games Developers | LayerPixel’s Collaboration with Bot Gameyard | by LayerPixel | Medium
Join PixelDAO Telegram to communicate about Ton ecological projects!
About LayerPixel:
LayerPixel is an all-in-one DeFi protocol designed specifically for the TON blockchain and seamlessly integrated with Telegram Mini Apps. Leveraging a modular architecture, LayerPixel overcomes the asynchronous limitations of TON while harnessing its sharding benefits.
At the core of the LayerPixel ecosystem are several innovative components:
- PixelWallet - An SMC wallet with Account Abstraction (AA) features, enabling users to interact with dApps and the LayerPixel ecosystem with ease.
- PixelSwap - The first modular DEX on TON, supporting advanced trading models like weighted pools and LBP.
- Pixacle - A decentralized oracle solution delivering fast and accurate price data to dApps and smart contracts.
LayerPixel’s future plans include becoming a cross-chain solution to power DeFi experiences across all Telegram Mini Apps. By providing an all-in-one platform, LayerPixel aims to make blockchain-powered finance accessible to everyone within the TON ecosystem.
Official Links
LayerPixel: Homepage | Twitter | Channel | Community | Medium | Bot |
PixelSwap: Homepage | Twitter | Channel | SWAP | Pool
PixelDAO: Twitter | Forum | Chat Group