Millions of users worldwide have flocked to Telegram for its unique privacy and security features. That’s why it’s surprising that account hijacking has become a significant issue on the platform.
Hackers are pulling out all the stops – phishing scams, malware, and social engineering. Whatever it takes to gain access to your account. And once they do, they can harm you – and your contacts – in numerous ways.
But if you’ve had your Telegram account hacked, don’t worry. This guide will help you get it back.
Telegram Hacked – How to Get Your Account Back
There are numerous signs that your Telegram account might’ve been compromised. You might spot some changes you didn’t make, messages you didn’t send, or suspicious competitions you didn’t apply for. Whatever the case, you must act fast. These methods can help you restore your Telegram account.
#1 – Terminate All Unknown Sessions
Remember how we said that Telegram is renowned for its security features? Well, these features can save your account if you act quickly. You see, Telegram essentially has built-in theft protection. Any new device that starts using your Telegram account can’t terminate other active sessions for 24 hours. This means that you will still be in charge of your account for a whole day, even if hacked. However, it also means you only have 24 hours to expel the hacker from your account before they do it to you. Here’s how to boot anyone with unauthorized access to your Telegram account.
Step 1: Tap the “Settings” button in the bottom-right corner.
Step 2: Go to the “Devices” tab.
Step 3: Head to the “This Device” section.
Step 4: Press the “Terminate all other sessions” button.
Step 5: When prompted, confirm your choice.
As soon as you do, all devices – apart from your current one – will be removed from your Telegram account. This will, of course, include the hacker’s device.
If, however, you can spot this device right away, you don’t have to terminate all sessions. You can only target the unauthorized one.
Step 1: Head to the “Active Sessions” section.
Step 2: Tap and hold the unauthorized device.
Step 3: Select “Terminate session.”
Step 4: When asked “Are you sure you want to log out from this device?” tap “Terminate session” again.
#2 – Contact Telegram Support
Perhaps you haven’t acted in time and lost access to your Telegram account. If that’s the case, you can try to get it back by reaching out to Telegram Support. However, Telegram relies on volunteers for this support. This means you might have to wait for an answer. That’s why this option isn’t recommended for restoring your account within the first 24 hours.
Since you no longer have access to your Telegram account, you’ll have to contact support via the platform’s official website. All you need to do is describe your problem, leave your personal and contact details, and hit “Submit.”
#3 – Create a New Telegram Account
Let’s say you fail to recover your Telegram account but want to keep using the app with the same number. The only course of action is to delete your old account and create a new one. Of course, this also means you’ll lose all your chat history, media, and contacts. However, this is the price you will have to pay to continue using the app with the same phone.
But here’s the thing. You can only delete your old account if you have a two-step verification set up. If you do, follow these steps.
Step 1: Launch the Telegram app and select “Start Messaging.”
Step 2: Type in your phone number.
Step 3: Select the “Forgot password?” option.
Step 4: Hit the “Reset Account” button.
Once you do, your old account will be deleted after seven days. Then, you can create a new one with your phone number and continue using Telegram.
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