SlowMist founder Yu Xian, in his post on the X platform, warned Telegram users against rising phishing attacks on the platform. Xian, known by the pseudonym “Cos”, argues that Telegram’s open source and free nature allows fake links and bots to easily spread among users. Xian points out the inadequacy of the platform’s security measures by saying, “The Telegram ecosystem is too free.”

The focus of the warnings is a new fraud method. Attackers are trying to take over users’ TON wallets using “Anonymous Telegram Numbers”. These numbers are very similar to traditional phone numbers. Users can create anonymous accounts on Telegram with these numbers. However, Xian emphasizes that attackers can spoof these numbers, resulting in the loss of the entire account and even the wallet attached to it. This situation brings with it the risk of users’ cryptocurrencies being stolen.

To counter this issue, Xian recommends users enable an independent password, such as two-step verification. Two-step verification provides an additional layer of security by requiring the use of a verification code other than a password when logging into the account.

Criticisms about security vulnerabilities in Telegram are not limited to this. A user with the username “amoy_Lw” on the X platform criticized the gaming ecosystem built on Telegram. This user argues that the gaming ecosystem is in great conflict with Telegram’s development philosophy. While the Telegram Foundation takes an approach that promotes user privacy, games try to attract users to “create activity.” This creates a perception that Telegram’s user privacy policies have been violated by the gaming ecosystem.

Weaknesses in Telegram’s security threaten not only users but also cryptocurrency exchanges. Scammers are targeting popular cryptocurrency exchanges such as Binance, Bybit, MEXC and Gate.io. These attacks use fake stablecoins on The Open Network (TON). Fake stablecoins are cryptocurrencies whose value is tied to traditional assets such as the US dollar. However, scammers are hiding that there is no real asset behind the fake stablecoins they created on TON. This situation invites attempts to defraud cryptocurrency exchanges and investors.

Telegram has recently been facing security problems and criticism of its gaming ecosystem. Although the open-source nature of the platform supports users’ freedom, it also seems to pave the way for scammers. Telegram needs to take measures to increase user security and privacy and align the gaming ecosystem with the general policies of the platform. Otherwise, Telegram’s popularity may suffer due to security concerns.