How Telegram Became a Hub for Criminal Activity
Finnish beautician Elisabet Balk never expected that uploading a selfie and her national ID to verify a social media account would lead to her personal data being sold on Telegram, a popular messaging app. Unfortunately, her story is just one example of how Telegram has become a marketplace for illegal activities, from stolen identities to drugs and even child abuse material.
Telegram’s Dark Side
Telegram, founded by Pavel Durov, allows users to join with just a phone number and claims it has never shared user data with third parties. However, it has also become a go-to platform for criminals because of its lax content moderation. Durov was recently arrested in France, facing charges of enabling hacking software distribution on the platform and others. Telegram has over a billion users, and while it claims to remove millions of harmful posts daily, it struggles to fully control illegal content.
Personal Data for Sale
On Telegram, criminals sell personal data like passports, identity cards, and even selfies that can be used for identity theft and fraud. For example, one channel sold stolen bank accounts for as little as $80, while others offered more high-value accounts for businesses.
In Balk’s case, her stolen data was used to create a deepfake video that could fool bank verification systems, allowing criminals to take out loans or launder money under her name.
The Rise of Telegram as a Criminal Marketplace
Before Telegram, many criminals used the darknet, a part of the internet not accessible by regular browsers, to conduct illegal business. However, Telegram is faster and easier to use, making it the new favorite for criminal transactions. Researchers have found that it’s now widely used to share child abuse material, and while other platforms like Meta and Snapchat report illegal content, Telegram has been slow to cooperate with global watchdogs.
The Impact on Victims
For victims like Balk, the consequences are severe. Despite reporting her stolen data to the police, her case was dropped due to the difficulty in tracking down the perpetrators. Meanwhile, her personal information continues to be sold on Telegram, leaving her in a constant state of worry.
As Telegram grows, so does its use by criminals. The platform needs to take more action to regulate illegal content and protect innocent users from becoming victims of cybercrime.
