A new fraud scheme is rapidly spreading across the Russian-language segment of Telegram, as well as in Armenia. Criminals are leveraging the messenger's built-in features alongside psychological pressure to intimidate users, demanding money in exchange for keeping their accounts safe.
The primary weapon in this scheme is not a technical vulnerability within Telegram, but rather human fear. Simply clicking a "Start" button does not grant scammers control over your account or the power to delete it. Furthermore, claims that multiple complaints will automatically result in account termination are false. Telegram manually reviews reported violations, meaning threats of mass reporting do not imply criminals actually possess the ability to shut down your profile.
If you transfer money to scammers yourself, the banking transaction is classified as voluntarily authorized, making any subsequent attempt to recover those funds extremely difficult. Once they receive payment, extortionists hold no obligations and often continue demanding more money. Attempting to resolve the issue through payment is almost never effective.
IDBank advises users not to let the fear of losing an account lead to financial loss. Do not pay anything, and verify any disturbing messages through official sources.
This evolving scheme on Telegram demonstrates how fraudsters increasingly rely on psychological pressure rather than technical exploits. Fear of losing access serves as the main lever used to force individuals into rushed and reckless actions.
From a financial standpoint, the greatest risk lies in the fact that self-initiated transfers are recognized by the banking system as voluntary transactions. Consequently, the legal and technical prospects for recovering the money are virtually zero, and paying does not guarantee an end to the threats.
In such situations, the best defense is to stay calm and refrain from making any payments. Upon receiving any suspicious message or threat, immediately contact official support services.
