Beware of scammers – cryptocurrency in Telegram: this warning perfectly describes a scheme where people are lured by promises of quick earnings on Toncoin, offered to connect bots, buy “Accelerators,” and bring friends. In reality, this is not an investment opportunity, but a scam with signs of a pyramid scheme.
The idea of easy income from cryptocurrency still seems like a dream for many: one lucky move—and you never have to work again. Theoretically, this is possible, about as likely as hitting a huge lottery jackpot. But in reality, such stories are extremely rare, and talk of guaranteed crypto earnings is more like a beautiful myth.
This myth is actively fueled by so-called crypto traders and “Insiders.” They show off expensive cars, wads of cash, and watches worth fabulous sums, convincing subscribers that anyone can quickly “make it in crypto.” But the cars are often rented, the bills are souvenirs, and the luxury accessories are fakes.
In the case of Toncoin, scammers use the same logic: they promise income through a “Secret Bot,” referral links, and commissions for new members. The more a person invests and the more actively they invite acquaintances, the deeper they get pulled into the scheme.
Guaranteed income through a Telegram bot, especially with the purchase of a plan and inviting friends, is a red flag: the profit is promised to you, but the organizers get control of the money.
How the Toncoin “Earnings” Scheme Works
Scammers offer users the chance to supposedly earn Toncoin through a special bot and an invitation system. The idea seems simple: a person invests their own money, buys an accelerator plan, invites friends, and is supposed to receive a percentage from every crypto coin deposited by new participants.
But behind the promises is a classic pyramid scheme. Participants are pushed to buy more expensive plans and bring in as many people as possible to supposedly increase future income. In practice, the money goes to the organizers, while ordinary “Partners” are left without their investments.
According to available data, this scheme has been used since at least November 2023. Victims include users from Russia and other countries. To more convincingly process potential victims, scammers have prepared training videos in Russian and English, as well as text instructions with many screenshots.
First Stage: Registration and Wallet Setup
First, the victim is asked to create a cryptocurrency wallet in an unofficial bot for storing crypto in Telegram. Then, the address of this wallet needs to be entered in another bot—the one supposedly responsible for earnings through the purchase of accelerators.
At this stage, the scammers do not reveal their true intentions. It is important for them that the person registers without unnecessary questions, connects the account to the required bots, and starts following the instructions.
This is what the bot window for buying accelerators looks like: during registration, you are required to enter the wallet address previously created in another crypto bot.
Next, the user is asked to buy from 5.5 to 501 Toncoin. At the current rate, one TON is valued at about five to six dollars. To buy, scammers suggest using legal tools: P2P markets, crypto exchanges, or the official Telegram bot. After that, the newly purchased coins must be immediately transferred to a third-party bot wallet, which is presented as a personal account in the “Earnings System.”
Second Stage: Buying an “Accelerator”
When the accounts are created and the coins have been sent to the bot, the victim is told: now you can start earning. But first, you need to “Activate the second bot”—choose one of the accelerator plans.
The plans are presented as a clear ladder: “Bike,” “Car,” “Train,” “Plane,” and “Rocket.” The user is shown the package name, the cost in TON, and the promised commission: “Bike” costs 5 TON and supposedly gives 30%, while “Rocket” costs 500 TON and promises 70%.
In reality, the choice of plan changes nothing. No matter which option the user buys, the money ends up under the scammers’ control, and it is almost impossible to get it back.
In the accelerator bot, the user is shown plans that create the illusion of a clear and profitable earning system.
After buying a plan, the person is asked to create a private group in Telegram, add training videos there, and post a referral link. The large number of such videos on video hosting sites shows that many people have believed in the scheme.
Third Stage: Involving Friends and Acquaintances
The main “Source of Income” in this scheme is other people. The user is told that friends must also buy TON, transfer cryptocurrency to the wallet, and activate the accelerator bot.
Scammers insist: you need to invite at least five people to the private group. They emphasize that the number of invitations is unlimited, and the more new participants appear, the higher the supposed earnings will be. They also specifically advise not just to send the link, but to call each acquaintance and personally tell them about the “Incredible Opportunity.”
According to the scammers’ promises, income should consist of two parts:
- A fixed payment of 25 TON for each invited friend.
- A commission from the accelerator plan purchased by the referral.
This is how the pyramid works: each participant sees themselves not as a random person, but as a “Partner” who is about to start receiving payments. But only the organizers get money in such a chain. The rest lose their TON and often manage to involve their loved ones in the scheme.
Why These Schemes Seem Convincing
The scenario is designed so that the victim has no time for a calm check. The person is given step-by-step instructions, shown screenshots, sent videos, and convinced that everything already works for others. As a result, the large number of actions creates the feeling of a real system.
Telegram is convenient for such schemes due to anonymity, weak verification of new channels and bots, a large crypto audience, and the ease of launching private groups. A scammer only needs to quickly create a bot, set up a channel, add instructions, and start sending invitations.
Fake bots, phishing links, fake channels, fake reviews, fake administrator accounts, and mass mailings are used. All this creates the appearance of a live project, although it may just be a regular money collection scheme.
An additional trust factor is an invitation from an acquaintance. If a friend or relative tells you about earnings, the scheme seems less dangerous. But often the inviter does not yet realize that they have already become a victim.
In addition, cryptocurrency remains a complex topic for many. Scammers take advantage of this: they mix real tools, such as buying TON through legal platforms, with transferring funds to dubious bots. At this stage, phishing, access theft, and direct withdrawal of coins to scammers’ accounts are possible.
What Other Crypto Scams Exist
In addition to schemes with Toncoin and Telegram bots, other types of fraud are also common:
- Phishing: the user is led to a fake site or wallet page to steal access.
- Fake ICOs and tokens: people are invited to invest in a project created solely to collect money.
- Scam bots: a bot promises an exchange, income, or withdrawal, but after the coins are sent, it stops helping.
- Fake exchanges and exchangers: the platform looks real, but withdrawals are blocked.
- Account hacking: scammers gain access to a profile and ask the owner’s contacts for money.
- Double transfer schemes: the victim is promised to get back twice as much cryptocurrency after the first payment.
Is It Possible to Withdraw Cryptocurrency from a Telegram Bot
If the bot is linked to a scam, withdrawing cryptocurrency is usually difficult or impossible. The withdrawal button may not work, the request may be endlessly delayed, and instead of a refund, you may be asked to pay a commission, tax, or new plan.
Do not send additional TON for the promised withdrawal. This is how scammers often extract even more money. If you still have access to your wallet, it is better to immediately transfer the remaining funds to a safe place and close unnecessary connections.
How Not to Lose Money on Crypto Schemes
Typical signs of fraud look like this:
- You are promised guaranteed income in cryptocurrency.
- You are rushed to buy a plan or transfer funds.
- The earning conditions are not transparent, and explanations are limited to videos and screenshots.
- You are asked to send money to an unknown wallet or third-party bot.
- The project has no clear documents, official contacts, or transparent team.
- Do not believe promises of quick riches, even if they come from someone you trust.
- Do not transfer cryptocurrency to unknown or unpopular wallets, especially if you are being led from an official tool to a third-party bot.
- Do not buy “Accelerators,” “Plans,” or other packages that promise income only after attracting new participants.
- Check any crypto project before transferring money and do not rely solely on instructions from chats, videos, or private groups.
- Use reliable protection for crypto assets: it helps store wallet data, warns about suspicious sites, and blocks crypto phishing links.
- Tell your loved ones about such schemes, especially those who are not confident online.
What to Do If You Have Already Sent Money to Scammers
- Immediately stop any transfers and do not pay additional commissions, plans, or “Unlocks.”
- Save evidence: correspondence, links to bots and channels, wallet addresses, payment screenshots, and transaction hashes.
- Check your wallets and accounts: change passwords, disable unnecessary sessions, and transfer remaining funds to a secure wallet.
- Contact the support service of the platform where you bought or transferred cryptocurrency and provide them with transaction data.
- File a report with law enforcement or the relevant cybercrime unit.
- Warn friends and acquaintances to whom you sent the link so they do not repeat the transfer.
The main rule is simple: if you are promised guaranteed income in cryptocurrency for buying a plan and inviting friends, it is almost certainly not an investment, but a trap.
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