Scammers on Telegram and TON in 2025: Your Toncoin in the Crosshairs (How to Avoid Becoming a Victim)

Hey! You’ve probably heard about The Open Network (TON) and their Toncoin. It’s powerful, and the ecosystem is growing like crazy… And you know who else “appreciates” that? Exactly – scammers. Honestly, I’m stunned by the audacity and sophistication of their schemes in 2025. They’re not just stealing hundreds – they’re building entire industries of deception around trust in TON and Telegram’s convenience.

The story with “Gram” and the failed ICO is ancient history, like “dinosaurs went extinct.” The SEC shut down that project with a tin-foil hat back in 2020. But! From the ashes rose TON – The Open Network, and its cryptocurrency – Toncoin (TON). And right now, in 2025, while you’re reading this post, someone is probably scrolling through their wallet, thinking they’re buying “free” TON or participating in a “super-pool.”

What’s Happening Now? (Spoiler: It’s Bad…)

Forget about those primitive phishing sites from 2018. Now it’s much subtler and more dangerous. Here are the top 3 schemes actually working in 2025:

1. “Official” Scam Bots: This is a masterpiece of audacity. A bot pops up in your personal chat looking identical to the real TON Wallet or Support bot. Logo, name – everything looks legit. It writes something like: “Security threat detected! Urgently transfer funds to this address for protection: EQfake...” Or: “Congratulations! You won an airdrop of 1000 TON! Confirm your wallet by sending 0.1 TON to the verification address: EQscam...“. Apparently, people still fall for it. Seriously?!
2. Fake NFT Drops and “Golden” Pools on TON: TON has actively entered the NFT and DeFi space. Scammers exploit this fully. They create:
   • Fake websites/channels advertising an “exclusive” NFT drop “from the TON Foundation team” (which, of course, requires “gas” or a prepayment in TON to a bogus address).
   • Phony staking pools with “astronomical” APY (500%? Easy!). They lure you in, collect your Toncoin into the pool, and then – *rug pull* (pull the rug). Poof – the pool and your coins vanish. And the “super-pool” website returns a 404 error.
3. Admin Clones in Supergroups: An old but still effective scheme. They join large TON groups (projects, exchanges, news), find admins/moderators, create their perfect copies (profile picture, name + an extra space or letter). They message you privately: “Hi! I see you’re active. Have a private insider tip/bug/super-opportunity. Send 10 TON to EQ... to participate/fix it.” And you know what? People send it! Honestly, sometimes I think we’re in the Matrix…

Why Telegram and TON Are a Paradise for Scammers

1. Accessibility: Telegram is installed by half the crypto community. Creating bots takes minutes.
2. Trust: People are used to official project channels being on Telegram. Scammers cynically exploit this.
3. Irreversibility: Once crypto is sent, it’s almost impossible to get back. It’s like throwing cash into a black hole.
4. TON’s Complexity for Newcomers: By the time you figure out what a wallet address, smart contract, or the TON Explorer is, the scammer is already sipping cocktails in the Bahamas with your TON.

How to Survive: My Anti-Scam Guide (Working in 2025!)

Alright, enough horror stories. From here on out – pure practice. Here’s what *I* do and what I advise you to do right now:

1. Bots: Trust, but VERIFY! (Twice!)

• There is ONLY ONE official TON Wallet bot: @wallet. Remember that name. PERIOD. Everything else is fake. Check it right now in Telegram search!
• Never. Ever! Send coins because a bot asks you to. Genuine service bots do NOT ask you to transfer funds to “safe” or “verification” addresses. This is 100% a scam.
• Links in bots? Don’t even hover casually! Hover your cursor (don’t click!) – you’ll see the real URL. See something suspicious (like ton-airdrop-scam.ru)? Close the chat!
• Bot Verification: Go to the bot’s profile. Genuine, important bots often have a blue verification badge (checkmark) or “Verified” in the description. But remember: scammers sometimes steal this too! @wallet is your benchmark.

2. Checking ANY Project on TON (Even if it’s “Official”): The “Trust, but AUDIT” Checklist

Before investing TON anywhere (NFT, pool, new token), follow these steps:

• Team: Who are these people?
  • Do they have clear LinkedIn profiles (not fake ones)? Real names, photos, experience?
  • Have they undergone KYC with a known provider (e.g., CertiK, Chainalysis)? This verifies their real identity. A link to the KYC report MUST be on their website. No KYC? A red flag as big as a house!
• Documentation (Whitepaper, Docs):
  • Does it even exist? Or just pretty pictures and promises of “going to the moon”?
  • Is the actual tokenomics described? How are tokens distributed? How much does the team hold (if >20% – alarm!)? Is there a vesting schedule (gradual unlocking of team tokens)? Without vesting – the team could dump everything and run right after listing.
• Smart Contract Audit: DON’T SKIMP!
  • There must be an audit from a reputable firm (PeckShield, SlowMist – check their sites!). Not just “audit passed,” but a link to the full report. Read the report! Especially the Critical and High risk sections. If risks aren’t fixed – run.
  • The Contract Itself: Find the project’s smart contract address (should be on their website). Plug it into a TON Explorer (TONScan or TonViewer). See what’s happening. Suspicious transactions? Lots of withdrawals? You can see it!
• Listings and Community:
  • Where is it listed? Real projects aim for major exchanges or at least aggregators (CoinMarketCap, CoinGecko). Is the project listed there? If not – why?
  • Telegram Group: Join their official chat (get the link ONLY from their official website!). What’s happening?
    • Just emojis and “To the moon!”? Sounds like bots.
    • Do admins answer tough questions? Or ban people for doubts?
    • Are people complaining about withdrawing funds?
• Golden Rule: If something promises “guaranteed profit” or sounds TOO good to be true… It probably is. SCAM.

3. Protection in DMs and Chats: Don’t Trust, Don’t Fear, Don’t Ask… Or Rather, Don’t Send!

• An admin messages you first? 99.9% – scam. Genuine admins of supergroups do not message first with “insider tips” or requests to transfer funds. Never.
• Check the sender’s name EXACTLY. Letter for letter? Spaces, dots, substituted characters (Latin “C” instead of Cyrillic “С”)? Clone!
• “Urgent!”, “Only for you!”, “Last chance!” – classic scam triggers. Switch on cold logic.
• Direct transfer = Money lost. Legitimate projects do NOT ask you to send TON or other coins to a personal address via DM. Everything goes through official interfaces, smart contracts, or exchanges.

4. What to Do If You Get Scammed? (Happens to the best, the key is to act!)

1. Screenshot EVERYTHING: The conversation, the scammer’s wallet address, the bot/project name, the website.
2. Report within Telegram: Block the bot/user, submit a report via Telegram’s interface including the screenshots. This won’t get your money back, but it might stop the scammer.
3. Report the Scam:
   • To the Community: Post (with proof!) in large TON groups, crypto news channels, forums (Reddit r/Telegram, r/CryptoScams). Warn others!
   • To Scam Databases: There are specialized websites and groups collecting scammer info (e.g., Chainabuse). Search for current ones in 2025.
4. File a Report: If the amount is significant, and you know the jurisdiction (unlikely, but possible), you can try contacting the police/cybercrime unit. Chances are low, but worth a shot.
5. Lesson Learned: Analyze how they caught you. Don’t repeat that mistake. It’s expensive but valuable experience.

The Bottom Line: Vigilance is Your Crypto Armor

The world of TON and Telegram in 2025 is both a land of huge opportunities and a minefield of scammers. They are smart, fast, and ruthless. But now you’re armed with knowledge.

Core Commandments:

• The official wallet bot is @wallet. Full stop.
• Check KYC, Audit, Tokenomics of ANY project BEFORE investing TON.
• Admins do NOT message first asking for money. Never.
• If it’s “super-profitable” or “exclusive” – it’s probably a scam.
• Trust, but VERIFY. Always.

Keep this article handy (bookmark it!). Share it with your crypto friends – you might save their TON. And remember: your safety is in your hands (and in your head). Don’t let scammers ruin the power of TON!