The Telegram Username Scam: How People Are Losing Thousands in TON

A new kind of scam is silently making its rounds across Telegram, and it’s catching even smart, tech-savvy users off guard.

It starts innocently.

You receive a direct message from someone claiming to be interested in buying your Telegram username. They’re polite, professional, and surprisingly convincing. They offer you a deal that sounds too good to ignore.

“We’d like to purchase your @username for 3,000 TON. Payment will be sent via Telegram’s official wallet system.”

If you’re not familiar with TON (The Open Network), it’s a blockchain infrastructure backed by Telegram, used for applications such as username auctions, payments, and NFT mini-apps.

One TON token, depending on the market, is worth around $6–$8. That means 3,000 TON is worth over $20,000.

Who wouldn’t be tempted?

I was, and here is how the conversation continued.

Hold on, do people sell Telegram Names, and how does it work?

Let's take a quick detour and explore how it works.

Yes, people actually do sell Telegram usernames — and it’s completely legitimate when done through the official channel. Telegram introduced a platform called Fragment, where users can buy and sell unique usernames and channel handles using cryptocurrency, specifically TON (The Open Network).

Here's how it works: Telegram allows you to auction your username, whether it’s for a personal account, public group, or channel.

You list it on Fragment, and buyers can place bids using TON. If your username is short, rare, or desirable — like @crypto, @html, or even common first names, it could attract high bids.

Once a sale is complete, the username is automatically transferred to the buyer by the system, with no middleman needed.

The process is fully automated and built on blockchain smart contracts. The TON payment is held in escrow until the transfer is successful.

You don’t need to talk to the buyer directly, and no one asks for fees outside of the platform. It’s secure, trackable, and simple. Sellers can also browse bids and set reserve prices, just like you’d see in a typical auction.

The usernames listed on Fragment are verified and released only through Telegram’s system, so there's no risk of someone taking it unless you give it up yourself.

What makes it even more appealing is that once sold, that username can’t be reclaimed; it now belongs to the buyer forever. That’s what makes rare usernames a form of digital real estate.

So yes, selling Telegram names is real, but only if you do it the right way. Any other method, especially ones that happen through private messages, is a major red flag.

Back to our story

But here’s the reality: you’re not getting paid. You're being baited into one of the most subtle and effective crypto scams in the world. Let’s break down how it works, why it's so believable, and how to protect yourself before it’s too late.

The Bait: “We Want to Buy Your Username”

Scammers start with a too-good-to-ignore offer. They might tell you your handle is unique, that their client is building a brand, or that you can make fast TON just by switching to a different name.

The conversation often includes well-written responses, screenshots of previous purchases, and sometimes even links to real TON wallet activity, just to earn your trust.

Most victims don’t realize it’s a scam because the messaging feels real. The scammer knows just enough about TON, Telegram's Wallet, and Fragment (Telegram’s official username marketplace), and uses that knowledge to trick users into believing they’re part of a legitimate transaction.

And that’s the trap.

The Hook: “Just Pay the Network Fee”

After you express interest in the deal, they drop the fine print.

“To complete the transfer of funds, you’ll need to pay a 50 TON network fee to verify your wallet on the smart contract.”

This is where it flips from offer to scam. The idea of paying a small fee to unlock a huge payment seems harmless, but this “network fee” or “transaction verification” is fake. It’s just the scammer’s personal wallet address.

The moment you send the 50 TON (which is $140 depending on exchange rates), they vanish. No payment. No transaction. No deal.

They block you. Or they stall with more fake screenshots, then block you later.

Why It Works So Well

This scam isn’t based on hacking or malware. It’s a social engineering scam, one that works by manipulating your emotions and your desire to earn money quickly.

First, it exploits the growing awareness of TON and the fact that Telegram really does support username sales. Telegram has an official auction site (fragment.com) where premium usernames are sold for thousands of TON.

Second, the scammer uses technical language, visuals, and real tools like the Telegram Wallet bot to convince you that everything is above board.

And third, most people don’t understand how escrow or blockchain transactions work. So when someone says “you need to pay a smart contract fee,” it doesn’t sound strange — it sounds technical. It sounds real.

How Victims Are Losing Big
Telegram users around the world are falling victim to username scams, especially those active in crypto communities, online forums, and digital trading circles. The scam often begins with a message offering to sell or buy a Telegram username, usually at a tempting price. Everything seems legitimate until the payment is made.

One user in Europe sent the equivalent of $200 in TON, expecting a quick transfer of the promised username. The scammer claimed the transaction failed and asked for a second payment. The user complied, hoping to speed things up. In the end, both payments were lost, and the scammer vanished.

In another case, a victim from Asia was asked to send a screenshot of their wallet activity to confirm identity. Moments later, their wallet was compromised. The attacker used the screenshot details and social engineering tactics to drain their funds completely.

Some scams go further. Victims are directed to fake verification forms where they unknowingly share seed phrases or scan QR codes controlled by the attacker. These details are then used to gain full access to their accounts, leading to significant financial and data loss.

These scams work because they feel casual and personalized. Scammers build trust by pretending to be admins, moderators, or brokers. The global nature of Telegram and the use of cryptocurrencies make it easy for scammers to act fast and disappear without a trace.

Once funds are sent using crypto, there’s usually no way to recover them. Victims don’t just lose money. They risk identity theft, account breaches, and sometimes even losing access to their Telegram entirely. It’s a costly mistake, and by the time users realize what’s happening, it’s already too late.

Here’s What You Should Know

Let’s make this clear:

• You do not need to pay to sell your Telegram username. Ever.

Telegram handles are only sold via Fragment, a secure marketplace where buyers place bids and all transactions are handled natively on-chain. There are no middlemen, no DMs, and no verification payments involved.

If someone reaches out to you directly to “buy” your username and asks you to send TON for any reason, it’s a scam — plain and simple.

Also, no legitimate buyer will offer thousands of dollars without verifying the username through Fragment. If they’re trying to rush the deal, they’re likely trying to rush you into skipping critical thinking.

How to Protect Yourself
If you’re active on Telegram, especially within crypto or Web3 communities, take the following steps immediately:

1. Never accept private offers outside Fragment. If someone wants your username, tell them to place a bid through Telegram’s official auction system.
2. Do not send TON to strangers There is no activation, unlock, or verification fee required to receive payment. This is 100% scam behavior.
3. Enable two-factor authentication on Telegram Even if they can’t scam your wallet, some try to hijack your account. Always have 2FA enabled with a password.
4. Avoid clicking suspicious wallet links or screenshots Some scammers embed tracking pixels into these files. Be cautious.
5. Report and block the user immediately Once you identify a scam attempt, report the account for fraud. It helps limit the damage.

Real Scams, Real People, Real Losses
We often hear about scams in vague terms, phishing emails, fake investment platforms, or SIM swaps. But this one feels different. It feels personal. Because the scammer isn’t targeting a random email address or a phone number, they’re targeting you, your name, and your trust.

This is a growing issue. The scammers are organized. They reuse wallet addresses, rotate new fake accounts, and sometimes even run multiple Telegram bots to scale their scam.

Final Thoughts

If you take one thing away from this article, let it be this:

No one pays you $21,000 and asks for $140 first.

That logic doesn’t make sense anywhere — whether it's on Telegram, WhatsApp, or in person. Scammers thrive when your excitement clouds your instincts. So stay calm, stay informed, and share what you know with others.

Because in today’s digital age, the best firewall is still awareness.

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Comments

[symmetricalboy]

I myself fell for one of these where they linked me, quite believably in my opinion, to "an offer on Fragment".
It legitimately looked like the Fragment site, with my name & the value & all that, & I clicked to accept the offer, was then sent to what I thought was pretty clearly the real Tonkeeper login with a QR code to scan, & once I scanned it...
...my username was irrevocably being auctioned for the absolute minimum value, the auction expired, & then the funds went... to them somehow?
I don't even understand how on Earth that works! & I had a mid-level comprehension of how TON & Fragment & all of this works prior to being contacted. It fooled me & still mystifies me.
I keep trying to get in touch with the account that hold my name, which is very important to me, honestly, & they ignore me offering to negotiate a buyback... 😞
Does anybody have any thoughts on this? Do you think there is any action we can take? Or demand? Or at the least, report or attempt to prevent?
Thanks for the write-up! This was exactly what I needed to explain the situation to others more clearly. I am linking this everywhere!!

[Scofield Idehen]

Really sorry about your loss, I saw this late.

So if I get you correctly, your Usename was taken without any payment made, I would love to follow up on this, so if you can shoot me a mail

[e-mail]

I would love see how far we can take this up.

Best regards.

[symmetricalboy]

I will email you right now! Thanks! 💪

[Nathan Tarbert]

This is extremely impressive, especially how you break down the scam and the legit process so clearly. Gonna share this with a few friends

[Scofield Idehen]

Thanks, I notice it's becoming increasingly popular and I nearly got scammed.

Please share.

[Melanie Everett]

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[Akshay Rathore]

bro the scamer i meet yeasterday he was saying me to place an aution on fragment and he will buy it imediatly but the ammount is lil too much i wanaa ask that if i place aution on fragmeents official site and someone buys it and use it for some bad reason will i be quetioned ? if the transection made legitimatly on the chain am i answerable ?