QUESTION. I have some questions regarding Telegram. If I understand correctly, only like artists, celebrities or companies can get a verified account.
I have made contact with a famous person who I believe is who he claims to be, but it is still a bit uncertain. The verification looks like Telegram’s verification and I know he has is verified on Instagram and Facebook and Tiktok, but how do you know it’s the real artist?
Carina
RESPONSE. All the details about Telegram’s verification are what is written on their own information page telegram.org/verify.
In general, however, I would say that you should always be careful with all types of contacts in social media. It’s relatively easy to get fake accounts, and even if there are verification systems in place, it’s not completely watertight.
In other words, it is important, for example, not to send money to someone if you do not know exactly what it is about – and of course also be careful about giving out your own contact details.
When it comes to finding out who is real or fake, my best tip is usually to go the “detour” via the official website. For example, if you are unsure which is Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Telegram channel, you can surf to Ukraine’s official presidential website. Here is a link to his official Telegram account.
In the same way, you can often go through the record company’s website to find a singer or through the film company to find an actor.
Another way is, of course, to check how many followers a celebrity has. If you find a Volodymyr Zelenskyy and it says he has around a million followers, chances are pretty high that it’s real. However, if the person has 14 followers, it is likely a scam…
It is often also possible to surf around on various websites that belong to magazines or fan sites. If many independent and credible pages link to the same account, the chances are higher that it is correct.
At the top right of the official website, you will find a link to President Zelenskyy’s Telegram channel.
Foundry