TASHKENT, Uzbekistan – Telegram users in Uzbekistan are receiving messages demanding that they complete a ‘security check’ within 12 hours or face alleged automatic logout and restrictions on messenger functions, according to a report by AN Podrobno.uz. The messages are being sent from a fake account named Te1egarm, in which the Latin letter ‘l’ has been replaced with the digit ‘1’ and the order of the letters ‘r’ and ‘a’ has been changed. The message claims that the user’s phone number has not passed mandatory verification for a long time, so the account has supposedly received a suspicious status. Recipients are then prompted to press a ‘Verification Center’ button to confirm their identity. In reality, the warning describes a phishing scheme designed to gain access to other people’s accounts.
Key Takeaways: The scammers use a 12-hour deadline and threats of account restrictions to push users into acting quickly without checking the information. The fake ‘Verification Center’ button can lead to a phishing site that asks for a phone number, confirmation code and Telegram password. Telegram does not conduct mandatory account checks through bots and does not require users to enter account credentials on third-party websites.
Telegram is one of the most widely used messaging platforms in Uzbekistan, which means such phishing campaigns can potentially reach a broad audience. The warning fits a familiar pattern: fraudulent messages imitate official security notices, create artificial urgency and use technical language to appear credible. As the New Year holiday approaches, scammers are also actively exploiting festive shopping activity by offering holiday goods at prices significantly below market levels. This makes source verification especially important, including checking the account name, message wording and any links before taking action. The report did not provide official figures on the number of users affected.
According to the warning, the fake message states that the phone number has not undergone mandatory verification for a long time and that the account has received a ‘suspicious status.’ After pressing ‘Verification Center,’ a user may be redirected to a third-party site where they are asked to enter their phone number, an SMS confirmation code and their Telegram password. With those details, attackers could take control of the account. The report stresses that official Telegram does not carry out mandatory checks through bots and does not ask users to enter account data on external websites. The 12-hour block threat is described as a pressure tactic intended to prevent recipients from pausing and verifying the claim.
Users are advised not to press the ‘Verification Center’ button, not to follow suspicious links and not to enter confirmation codes or passwords on third-party resources. If credentials have already been submitted, they should change their Telegram password as soon as possible, terminate all active sessions in the settings and enable two-step authentication. Security-related messages should be checked against official app notifications and trusted channels, while urgent demands for immediate action should be treated with caution. With holiday scams also on the rise, including offers of festive goods at unusually low prices, users are encouraged to remain vigilant and warn relatives and colleagues about the fake Te1egarm messages.
Source: podrobno.uz