Users of Telegram in Tajikistan have been targeted by a wave of phishing attacks in recent days. Fraudulent messages containing phishing links are being sent via direct messages, often appearing to come from the accounts of friends or acquaintances.
The messages promise a "gift" in the form of a one-year subscription to Telegram Premium, accompanied by a link for "activation." After a few hours, the messages disappear.
Khurshed Qurbonshoyev, a lawyer from the Office of Civil Liberties, told Asia-Plus that this phishing scheme aims to deceive users into providing personal data or money.
“This works as follows: the user receives a message in Telegram claiming they’ve been given a 'free Telegram Premium subscription' or a 'gift' from the company or another user. The link redirects to a fake website designed to look like Telegram's official site. The website prompts the user to enter personal details such as their Telegram login and password, a verification code, or even bank card information to 'confirm' the subscription. If the user provides this data, the attackers gain access to their Telegram account, which they can use to spread further scams. If bank card details are entered, the scammers can steal money from the card,” Qurbonshoyev explained.
How to protect yourself
To avoid falling victim to such scams, follow these tips:
- Be cautious of suspicious messages about gifts or promotions.
- Verify links carefully. The official Telegram website uses only the domain telegram.org.
- Enable two-factor authentication for added security.
- Never enter personal data on third-party websites.
- If you have already fallen for such a scam, immediately change your password, report the issue to Telegram support, block your bank card if necessary.
