publication
2026-02-27 06:00
Telegram is already responsible for almost one fifth of reported frauds, according to Revolut data. The number of these cases increased by 233% in 2025. However, Meta platforms remain a major source of abuse. Fintech calls for tighter regulations.
According to Revolut's fourth report, based on customer reports from 2025, Telegram has become the fastest growing channel for APP (Authorized Push Payment) fraud, which involves the victim independently authorizing a transfer. Data collected shows that incidents related to this messaging app have increased globally by 233 percent year-over-year. Currently, it is responsible for 21 percent of all registered scams in the world and 18 percent in Poland. At the same time, the platforms belonging to the Meta group remain the most popular operating environment for criminals. Last year, they generated 44 percent of global and 49 percent of domestic entries, respectively.
The authors of the report notice a clear trend of transferring the activity of fraudsters from classic social media to private messengers. Particularly noticeable is the increase in the number of fake job offers spread via Telegram. Globally, this category grew the fastest, accounting for 22 percent of incidents, while in Poland this percentage was 17 percent.
Shopping and investments in your sights
Shopping fraud still dominates the country, accounting for 57 percent of cases. According to information provided by fintech, on the Polish market, 32 percent of abuses start on Facebook, 18 percent on Telegram, and 14 percent on WhatsApp. Although investment fraud accounts for only 9 percent of national incidents, it is the most financially damaging. The average loss in this segment in Poland amounted to approximately PLN 21,000.
The problem is facilitated by profitable advertising mechanisms. As we wrote earlier, citing Revolut data, in 2025, social media platforms generated over PLN 18 billion in revenue from fraud advertising targeting European consumers. In Poland alone, this amount amounted to PLN 725 million.
Woody Malouf, director of combating financial crime at Revolut, emphasizes that the rapid increase in abuse on Telegram illustrates how quickly criminals adapt. It emphasizes the need for social media companies to take decisive action to ensure that user protection becomes a common priority for the entire industry.
A call for systemic solutions
In response to these threats, the company calls for the introduction of legal requirements forcing platforms to participate in data exchange systems under the threat of financial sanctions. It was also proposed to consider additional regulatory tools if the scale of false advertising is not significantly reduced.
At the same time, Revolut declares the development of its own security measures, including location-based protection systems, mechanisms verifying the identity of consultants in the application and warnings against suspicious transactions. It was noted that the published conclusions are based on anonymous reports, and the actual scale of the practice may be higher due to cases not reported by the victims.
