A confidential government report reveals over 688,000 cyber fraud complaints linked to the app since 2023, with estimated losses to Indian citizens crossing $750 million
According to a confidential report by the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs’ Cybercrime Coordination Centre that was reviewed by Reuters, the federal government has been monitoring Telegram groups and channels as they grow increasingly concerned about how the platform is being used to commit financial fraud and distribute child sexual abuse material.
A recent 35-page report was submitted in court as part of the government’s defence of a brief ban on the app following allegations that a question paper for India’s medical school entrance exam was leaked through Telegram channels. The ban has since been lifted, though the app’s message-editing feature remains restricted until June 30.
The government is worried about the anonymity of users on Telegram, which makes it difficult for investigations to identify people using the service. Whereas there are more than 500 million users in India on WhatsApp, Telegram allows for users to interact without having to provide their phone number to the other person.
The scale of alleged misuse described in this report is very large. The Indian authorities received over 688,000 reports of cyber fraud associated with Telegram since 2023, resulting in an estimated total loss to Indian citizens of $750 million. From January through May this year, there were 1,556 reports of online harassment or sharing of child sexual abuse materials on the platform.
Telegram, which counts India as its largest market with over 150 million users, has pushed back, arguing that illegal content accounts for less than 0.1% of material on its platform. The company has also stated that since 2018 it has largely eliminated the public spread of child sexual abuse material through detection algorithms. India is not alone in its scrutiny. France, South Korea, Spain, and the United Kingdom have all launched investigations or taken action against Telegram in recent years over similar concerns.
