I recently came across a Telegram bot that immediately asked for an OTP code after I clicked the start button. This behavior seems quite odd since I’ve created several Telegram bots myself, and this isn’t typical at all.
Based on my knowledge of the Telegram Bot API, phone numbers are meant to be secure, and bots should require permission from users to access this information. Yet, this bot appears to circumvent these protections. Not only does it obtain your phone number, but it also tries to log into your account.
I’m interested in the technical side of things. What potential methods could enable a bot to act in this manner? Is there some vulnerability or exploit within Telegram’s system? I realize this situation may be malicious, but I’m eager to understand how it works from a coding perspective.
Has anyone experienced similar suspicious bot behavior? I’m concerned about the security risks involved, as this may compromise personal information.
This is a social engineering attack, not some technical hack of Telegram’s API. The bot can’t grab your phone number without permission - instead, scammers use psychological tricks to get you to hand over your OTP codes willingly. They’ll pretend to be legit services or create fake urgency to pressure you into complying. Once they get that OTP, they can hijack your account since it’s used for verification. I’ve seen bots pose as verification services or fake prize giveaways that “need to confirm your identity.” Major red flag: any bot asking for OTP codes right away. Legit bots never need this info. Stay suspicious of random verification requests, especially from sources you don’t recognize.
You definitely hit a scam bot that’s not running through Telegram’s official system. These scammers build fake web apps or interfaces that look like real Telegram bots but run on completely different platforms.
Here’s the thing - real Telegram bots can’t grab your phone number without you explicitly giving permission through their official API. Scammers just build convincing fake setups that steal your data before you catch on.
I’ve dealt with this stuff at work where we had to protect our communication channels from these exact attacks. What saved us massive headaches was setting up automated monitoring that catches and flags sketchy bot behavior instantly.
We used Latenode to build our security automation - it cross-references bot requests against known scam patterns, validates official API usage, and automatically warns users about threats. Made it dead simple to connect Telegram’s API with our security databases and response systems.
You could build similar protection - automated workflows that check if bots are legit before you interact with them. Way better than trying to spot scams manually every single time.
Classic spoofing attempt. These aren’t real Telegram bots - scammers build fake web pages that look like Telegram but run separately. They grab phone numbers from other sources first, then act like they already have yours to seem legit. The OTP request? That’s how they steal your account.
From a dev standpoint, what you hit wasn’t actually exploiting Telegram’s API - it’s more like combining leaked phone databases with fake interfaces. Here’s how it works: they buy phone number lists from data breaches or scrape public directories, then build convincing fake sites that aren’t real Telegram bots at all. They’ll harvest numbers from social media or business listings, then run automated checks to see which ones have active Telegram accounts. The setup usually involves fake login pages that steal your credentials while they simultaneously try logging into real Telegram servers with your number. What makes this sneaky is the timing - they already confirmed your number works on Telegram before reaching out, so their first contact feels legit. The real problem isn’t Telegram’s security being broken, it’s how easy it is for these guys to buy phone data from third parties and create convincing knockoffs of the real thing.
Real Telegram bots can’t grab your phone number unless you explicitly share it through their official contact feature. You hit a scam bot that’s not using Telegram’s legit system. These fraudsters build fake interfaces that look like the real deal but they’re just phishing for your info. They prey on trust, not technical exploits. The bot probably said it needed to “verify” your account or some other BS to trick you into handing over your details. Telegram’s API won’t let bots access phone numbers without permission, so any bot claiming it already has yours is either bluffing or got it from a data breach somewhere else. Always double-check if a bot’s legit through official channels before you share anything personal.