The United Nations (UN) has reported that powerful criminal networks in Southeast Asia are exploiting the messaging app Telegram to commit fraud amongst other atrocities.
The report, released on Monday highlights alarming allegations against Telegram following France’s recent charges against its founder, Pavel Durov, for permitting criminal activities on the platform.
The report reads that Telegram enables crime such as hacked data, including credit card details, passwords, and browser history, which is traded openly across the App’s sprawling channels.
The UN Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report further added that tools for cybercrime, such as deepfake software designed for fraud and data-stealing malware, have been made available for purchase, while unlicensed cryptocurrency exchanges offer money laundering services.
One advertisement quoted in the report boasted, “We move 3 million USDT stolen from overseas per day,” underscoring the scale of illicit activities taking place.
The report emphasizes the existence of “strong evidence of underground data markets moving to Telegram” with vendors specifically targeting transnational organized crime groups operating in Southeast Asia.
In recent times, Southeast Asia has become a significant hub for a multibillion-dollar industry that perpetuates fraudulent schemes worldwide.
According to UNODC, many of these operations are run by Chinese syndicates, often from fortified compounds staffed by trafficked workers, generating an estimated $27.4 billion to $36.5 billion annually.
Techparley correspondent gathered that Durov, who was arrested in Paris in August and charged with facilitating criminal activities on Telegram, is facing scrutiny regarding the app’s responsibility in allowing illegal content, including the dissemination of sexual images of children.
His arrest has sparked discussions on the criminal liability of app providers and the balance between free speech and law enforcement.
In response to his arrest, Durov, now out on bail, stated that the app would comply with legal requests to provide users’ IP addresses and phone numbers.
Also Read:Daze Messaging App Gains 156K Users in Prelaunch
He also mentioned plans to remove features that have been misused for illegal purposes.
Meanwhile, UNODC’s deputy representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Benedikt Hofmann, described Telegram as a user-friendly environment for criminals.
“For consumers, this means their data is at a higher risk of being fed into scams or other criminal activity than ever before,” he said.
The report highlights the necessity for criminal groups in the region to innovate, integrating new business models and technologies, including malware and generative artificial intelligence, into their operations.
UNODC identified over ten deepfake software service providers specifically targeting criminal groups involved in cyber-enabled fraud in Southeast Asia.
In a later development, police in South Korea; often viewed as the most targeted nation by deepfake pornography, have initiated an investigation into Telegram to assess its potential complicity in online sex crimes.
Furthermore, a recent incident involving a hacker using Telegram’s chatbots to leak sensitive data from India’s top insurer, Star Health, has led to another lawsuit against the platform, revealing vulnerabilities in user data security.
