The United Nations recently released a surprising report stating that Telegram has emerged as one of the major applications A platform for criminal networks In Southeast Asia. These encrypted chatbots have become a hotspot for money laundering, fraud and the sharing of stolen data, according to the United Nations. The results show that organized crime groups are using Telegram features to carry out illegal activities with surprising ease.
Telegram: A New Era in Crime
Based on a report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), these criminal enterprises generate between $27.4 billion and $36.5 billion annually. The research discusses how cable It changed the face of organized crime, allowing gangs to operate with little control.
Selling criminals Malware and deepfake software across the network and used to commit fraud by trading passwords and sensitive information such as credit card numbers. To give you an idea of the scale of these operations, one ad stated that they move $3 million worth of stolen cryptocurrencies daily.
The growing number of unregistered cryptocurrency exchanges on Telegram has complicated matters. These interactions provide tools that allow fraudsters to easily move dirty money. Among these networks, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime has designated Tether (USDT) as the preferred stablecoin based on its indispensable function in enabling transactions for illicit operations.
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Arrest of Pavel Durov
The problem was exacerbated when the founder of Telegram, Pavel DurovHe was arrested in Paris in August. He faces serious charges for facilitating various illegal activities on the platform, such as drug trafficking and child exploitation.
Durov said the company is trying to increase user privacy along with its obligations to respect legal orders by sharing user data with authorities. After Durov’s arrest, discussions began about the role that technology companies should play in monitoring illegal activities occurring on their networks. The appropriate balance between user privacy and public safety is a highly debated topic.
Image: BBC
Wider implications
The latest UN findings have serious consequences. According to UNODC Deputy Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Benedikt Hofmann, Telegram hosts criminals in a friendly setting. In other words, consumer data is more vulnerable than ever because it can easily be exploited for fraud or other forms of illicit activity.
More importantly, the report noted that the profits these criminal gangs collect through their activities push them to find ways to innovate further. They are now using the latest technologies such as artificial intelligence and deepfakes in their crimes, making them extremely difficult to track down. More than 10 deepfake software providers have been identified as specifically targeting criminal organizations involved in online fraud.
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