Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 11 June 2024
Andaman and Nicobar Police have issued a crucial advisory to protect residents from the growing threat of Telegram hijacking. With instant messaging (IM) apps becoming an increasingly popular medium for communication, fraudsters have found ways to hijack these accounts, often to commit cybercrimes by impersonating the account holders. The police urge users to be vigilant and implement necessary safety measures to safeguard their IM accounts.
Key Recommendations to Protect Against Telegram Hijacking:
1. Make Your Phone Number Private: Ensure that your phone number is not publicly visible to reduce the risk of it being targeted.
2. Guard Verification Codes: Never share verification codes with anyone, regardless of how well you know them.
3. Be Cautious of Unusual Requests: Stay alert to any unusual or unexpected requests received through Telegram or other messaging apps.
4. Turn Off Notification Previews for SMS: Disable notification previews for SMS to prevent potential hijackers from seeing verification codes that might appear on your screen.
5. Enable Two-Step Verification: Activate the “Two-Step Verification” feature on your Telegram account to add an extra layer of security.
6. Log Out After Use: Always log out of Telegram on web and desktop platforms after you are done using them to prevent unauthorised access.
Steps to Take If Your Telegram Account is Hijacked:
-Inform Contacts: Notify your family and friends immediately that your account has been compromised and they should ignore any messages purportedly from you.
-Warn Others: Advise others not to share their verification codes or any other sensitive information.
-Report to Telegram: Report your hijacked account to Telegram at telegram.org/support.
For further assistance, inquiries, or to report incidents, residents can contact the Cyber Crime Police Station in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. They can be reached via the National Helpline at 1930, the A&N Police Helpline at 9531856083, or online at cybercrime.gov.in.