The Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia (TRC) has sounded the alarm over a surge in fraudulent activities on the popular messaging platform Telegram. It has urged the public to remain vigilant against increasingly sophisticated scams.
According to the TRC, scammers have been circulating deceptive messages through Telegram, employing a variety of tactics to exploit users.
“These include impersonating well-known public figures, senior government officials and business leaders to promote fake investment schemes promising high returns in a short period of time,” it said.
Other scams involve messages falsely informing recipients they have won a prize, with victims then being asked to provide personal or financial details to claim it.
“In some cases, fraudsters pose as Telegram representatives, sending threatening messages alleging that accounts have been hacked and demanding passwords or other sensitive information for verification,” said the TRC.
To protect against such threats, the TRC advised Telegram users to follow key security measures, including enabling the Two-Step Verification (2FA) feature, using strong and regularly updated passwords, and checking active sessions to ensure no unauthorised devices are logged in.
Users were also urged to enable the Passcode Lock feature, which allows them to secure the Telegram app with a secret code.
“Carefully check and verify any information received, never share passwords or personal information with others, and avoid clicking on suspicious links,” the TRC suggested, in its announcement.
The regulator has provided multiple channels for the public to report suspicious activity or seek assistance.
Citizens can call the TRC hotline at 6789 during business hours, send an email to info@trc.gov.kh or contact the official Facebook page of the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia.
