A recent report by the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has cast a spotlight on Telegram, a widely used encrypted messaging app, exposing its potential as a breeding ground for criminal activities. The report, released on Monday, highlights the alarming use of Telegram by criminal networks in Southeast Asia to engage in large-scale illicit operations.
According to Reuters, these networks are leveraging Telegram for a variety of illegal activities, including:
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Trading Stolen Data:
Hacked credit card details and passwords are reportedly being traded on the platform.*
Selling Cybercrime Tools:
Telegram is allegedly used to sell tools designed for malicious purposes, such as deepfake software and data-stealing malware.*
Facilitating Money Laundering:
The report identifies the existence of unlicensed cryptocurrency exchanges on Telegram, which are being used to launder illicit funds.The UNODC report underscores the growing trend of Southeast Asia becoming a hub for a multi-billion dollar criminal industry targeting victims worldwide with fraudulent schemes. These scams generate an estimated $27.4 billion to $36.5 billion annually.
The app’s founder, Pavel Durov, who was arrested in Paris in August and charged with allowing criminal activity on the platform, has maintained that Telegram will cooperate with legal requests from authorities and remove features abused for illegal activities. However, the UNODC report expresses concerns that Telegram, despite these measures, remains an easily accessible environment for criminals, putting user data at risk of being exploited for scams and other criminal activities.
While Telegram boasts over 900 million users and reported revenue of $342 million in the last fiscal year, it also incurred a loss of $108 million. Durov has reportedly considered an Initial Public Offering for the platform, aiming for a valuation of $30 billion.
The revelations in the UNODC report raise critical questions about Telegram’s commitment to user privacy and its efforts to combat criminal activity on its platform. The future of Telegram hinges on its ability to address these concerns and regain trust with users and authorities alike.
