Fake Telegram Account Pretending to Be Me: What to Do

A friend messages you on WhatsApp: "Is this you on Telegram?" The account has your name, your profile photo and a story about an emergency. It has already asked two of your contacts to transfer money, and one of them nearly did.

The short answer: save the evidence, warn the people it is contacting, then report it to Telegram through three official routes. Those are the Report option on the profile, Telegram's verified Report Impersonation bot (@NoToScam), and the [email protected] address with the account's t.me link.

This guide covers how to tell a fake from a hacked account, what to collect, how to word each report, what Telegram can and cannot do, and what to do in Malaysia if someone has already paid.

Last checked: 5 October 2026.

#How Do You Remove a Fake Telegram Account Pretending to Be You?

You report it, and Telegram decides. Telegram's FAQ says plainly: if a scammer is pretending to be you, contact @NoToScam. The same FAQ says every app has a Report button and that [email protected] accepts takedown requests that include t.me links. Before any report, screenshot the profile and the messages it sent, and warn your contacts. If anyone in Malaysia lost money, they should call their bank or the NSRC on 997 and make a police report. Nobody outside Telegram can remove the account for you.

#Is It a Fake Account, or Has Your Own Account Been Hacked?

These two problems look the same to your friends but need different fixes. A fake account is a second, separate account that copies you. A hacked account is your real one, controlled by someone else. Check before you act.

#Step 1: Save the Evidence Before You Report

A fake account can change its name, photo or username in seconds, or delete itself once it is reported. Collect what you can first. Ask the friends it contacted to help, since they can see the messages and you may not.

• The fake's display name and exact username, written down letter by letter.
• Its t.me link. Copy the username from the profile and save it as t.me/username.
• A screenshot of the profile page showing the name, photo, username and bio.
• Screenshots of every message it sent your contacts, with the date and time visible. Ask each friend for theirs.
• Any payment details the fake shared, such as a bank account number or e-wallet ID, captured from the message, not by replying to ask.
• The original photos it copied, so you can show they are yours.
• Your own username and t.me link, so Telegram can compare the two accounts.
• Every reference or acknowledgement you receive after reporting, kept in one folder with the date.

For a fuller method, including how to keep screenshots readable and dated, see our evidence checklist for harassment reports. Do not message the fake account to collect more. It tells the person you have noticed, and it gives them another chance to work on you.

#Step 2: Warn Your Contacts Directly

Your friends cannot see your reports, but they can read a message from you. Fakes like this usually target the people closest to you, so a warning often prevents more harm than any takedown. Send it from your real Telegram, WhatsApp, Instagram or by phone.

• Say a fake Telegram account is using your name and photo, and share its exact username.
• Give your real username, so they can check which account they are talking to.
• Say you will never ask for money, a loan or a login code over Telegram.
• Ask anyone who received a message from the fake to report that message in the app, and not to reply.
• Post the same warning in family chats and groups the fake is likely to target, in the languages your contacts use.

Asking friends who actually received a scam message to report it is fair, because each report describes something real. Telegram's FAQ says that when users report unwanted messages, the reported account can then only message people who saved its number as a contact. Do not ask people who saw nothing to pile on.

#Step 3: Report the Fake Profile Inside Telegram

Telegram's moderation page says every app lets you report a message: tap it on Android, hold it on iOS, or right-click it on Desktop or Web, choose Report, pick a reason and add a comment if needed. You can also report the account itself from its profile.

1. Open the fake account's profile.
2. Tap the menu (three dots) at the top. On some versions, Report sits under the Block option or further down the profile.
3. Choose Report and pick the reason closest to a fake account or impersonation. Telegram's developer documentation lists "Report for impersonation" among the reasons apps can send.
4. In the comment box, write one or two factual sentences: this account copies my name and photo, my real account is t.me/yourusername, and it is asking my contacts for money.
5. Block the account afterwards so it cannot message you.

#Step 4: Send the Details to @NoToScam

This is the route Telegram names for your exact problem. The @NoToScam profile is titled Report Impersonation, carries Telegram's verified tick and says reports about scammers are welcome there. Open it inside Telegram, start the chat and follow its prompts.

• Type the username yourself rather than tapping a link someone sent you. Check the spelling is exactly NoToScam and the verified tick is present.
• Give the fake's t.me link and your own, and say in a sentence what it is doing.
• Attach the screenshots from Step 1 if the bot asks for them.
• The real bot needs no login code, password or payment from you. If anything asks for those, it is not Telegram.

#Step 5: Email [email protected] With the t.me Link

Telegram's FAQ describes [email protected] as its automated takedown address and asks that each email include links, like t.me/... or @..., to the content that needs a moderator's attention. This route also works for someone who has no Telegram account, such as a parent whose photo was copied.

Subject: Impersonation of me by t.me/fakeusername. This account uses my name and profile photo without permission and is messaging my contacts asking for money. My real account is t.me/realusername. Screenshots of the profile and messages are attached.

Keep it short and true. Telegram's Terms of Service say users agree not to use the service to send spam or scam users, so describe what the account is doing to people, not only that it annoys you. Send one email per fake account and keep the sent copy in your evidence folder.

#What Can Telegram Actually Do About a Fake Account?

Removal is one possible outcome, not the only one. Telegram's developer documentation for the user object describes a scam flag, "This may be a scam user", and a fake flag for an account "reported by many users as a fake or scam user". Apps can show these flags as a warning label next to the account's name. A labelled account may stay visible, but people who open it can see the warning.

Telegram's public pages give no review time and do not say you will hear back, and its FAQ says support relies on volunteers. If the fake is still active, check whether its name now carries a label, add any new evidence to a follow-up email, and keep warning your contacts.

#If Someone Paid the Fake Account in Malaysia

Money moves fast, so the person who paid should act on the money before anything else. The government's NSRC 997 page says to call 997 within 24 hours of discovering a scam so the authorities can try to block the accounts involved, contact the bank, and make a police report at the nearest station.

• The friend who paid calls 997 and their own bank, with the transfer details and the fake's bank account number.
• They make a police report, and you can make one too as the person being impersonated. Bring the evidence folder.
• MCMC's complaint page lists cheating by personation as a Penal Code matter for the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM), so the police report is the main legal route.
• If the fake sent a link to a fake login or payment page, report it to CyberSecurity Malaysia's Cyber999, which helps Malaysian internet users escalate abuse reports.

This is general information, not legal advice. If the impersonation damages your reputation or keeps returning, a Malaysian lawyer can tell you whether a civil claim or a court order is realistic. Our guide for friends who lost money through an account using your name covers the conversation with them.

#Look-Alike Support Bots and Paid Takedown Offers

Posting a warning about a fake can attract a second scam. Accounts calling themselves "Telegram Support" or "Account Removal Service" may message you offering to delete the fake if you pay them. Telegram's FAQ names @SmsTelegram on X as its official account for login help and warns that it has no other support accounts on social media.

#What Not to Do

• Do not organise mass reporting or ask strangers to flood the account. Report each real message once, accurately.
• Do not reply to the fake, threaten it or try to trick it. That rarely helps and can put you at risk.
• Do not try to find out who runs it through tracking links, hacking tools or paid lookups. Leave identification to the police.
• Do not create your own counter account to argue in groups. It confuses your contacts further.
• Do not delete your real account in frustration. Your verified history is what shows which account is genuine.

#Make the Next Fake Harder to Pass Off

You cannot stop someone copying a public photo, but you can make a fake easier to spot. A public username gives your contacts one exact handle to check against, and Telegram's FAQ says you can share it as a t.me link.

• Set a username and share your t.me link with family and close contacts, so they know the real one.
• If the fake took the username you wanted, Telegram's FAQ says it can help you acquire a basic username through @Username_bot if you hold the same username on at least two of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
• Review your privacy settings under Settings, then Privacy and Security, including who can see your phone number.
• Turn on 2-Step Verification, so a fake that turns into a takeover attempt meets a password as well as a code.
• Agree a simple rule with family: any money request over chat gets a voice call first.

#When a Case Review Makes Sense

One fake account can usually be handled with the steps above. Outside help is worth considering when fakes keep coming back under new usernames, when the same person is copying you on several platforms, or when the impersonation is hurting your work. SocialSafe by AwareXone reviews the evidence first, then prepares accurate reports through Telegram's own channels and, where needed, helps you put together what the police will ask for. We never file false reports, never try to unmask anyone and never ask for your password or codes, and Telegram still decides. You can read how impersonation removal works, and our Trust Center explains how we handle cases.

#Frequently Asked Questions