Police warn of rise in Telegram account phishing attempts

Police have issued a warning regarding a recent increase in phishing attempts targeting Telegram users in the Maldives.

According to police, phishing messages are being sent from hacked Telegram accounts of individuals, including known contacts, to trick recipients into compromising their own accounts.

An example cited involved a Maldivian businessman who, last month, sent a message via Telegram stating, "There are photos of you on this website," followed by a link. On the same day, a senior police officer’s Telegram account was also reportedly used to send similar messages. Police have confirmed that these individuals did not send the messages themselves, but their accounts had been compromised.

Phishing attempts typically involve sending a link that prompts the user to enter their phone number and a one-time password (OTP). Once the OTP is submitted, scammers gain access to the account and begin sending similar phishing messages to others.

The Cyber Crime Department has outlined the steps for recovering a compromised Telegram account:

Steps to activate two-step verification:

Police stressed the importance of enabling two-step verification to protect accounts.

They also advised users to be cautious of any messages or links, even if sent by a known person, that claim to contain photos or sensitive information. These links are often phishing tools aimed at gaining control of the recipient’s Telegram account.

Police urged the public not to click on such links and to report any suspicious activity to the relevant authorities.