UN Report: Criminal Networks In Southeast Asia Exploit Telegram For Illicit Activities

Telegram is set to facilitate large-scale illicit activities, marking a significant shift in the way organised crime operates, according to a report released by the United Nations on Monday.

The report, issued by the United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC), highlights the role of Telegram in enabling the trade of hacked data, including credit card details, passwords, and browser history, on a vast scale.

The app’s sprawling channels, with minimal moderation, have become a haven for criminal activity, the report suggests.

In a quote from the report, an ad in Chinese boasted, “We move 3 million USDT stolen from overseas per day.”

The UNODC added that there is “strong evidence of underground data markets moving to Telegram and vendors actively looking to target transnational organised crime groups based in Southeast Asia.”

UNODC Deputy Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Benedikt Hofmann, emphasised the app’s ease of use for criminals, stating, “For consumers, this means their data is at a higher risk of being fed into scams or other criminal activity than ever before.”

The report also sheds light on Southeast Asia’s role as a major hub for a multibillion-dollar industry driven by fraudulent schemes targeting victims worldwide.

Many of these operations are run by Chinese syndicates from heavily fortified compounds staffed by trafficked workers. According to UNODC estimates, the industry generates between $27.4 billion and $36.5 billion annually.

The criminal networks has integrated new technologies into their operations, such as deepfake software and data-stealing malware.

The report noted that more than 10 deepfake software providers had been identified, specifically targeting criminal groups engaged in cyber-enabled fraud in the region.

The UN report came on the heels of legal actions taken against Telegram’s founder, Pavel Durov. In August, Durov was arrested in Paris and charged with allowing criminal activities on his platform, including the distribution of sexual images of children.

This unprecedented legal move by France, under a tough new law with no international equivalent, has sparked debates about the liability of app providers in facilitating illegal activities.

Durov, who is currently out on bail, responded to the allegations by announcing that Telegram would cooperate with authorities by handing over users’ IP addresses and phone numbers when legally requested. He also pledged to remove certain features that had been abused for illegal purposes.

Telegram, which has nearly 1 billion users globally, has not yet commented on the UN report or the charges against its founder.

The report also draws attention to investigations into Telegram in other parts of Asia. In South Korea, authorities are probing the app’s role in abetting online sex crimes, as the country is estimated to be the most targeted by deepfake pornography.

Additionally, a recent incident in India saw a hacker use Telegram chatbots to leak sensitive data from Star Health, one of the country’s top insurers.

UNODC’s report underscores the need for stronger regulatory frameworks and better cooperation between governments and technology platforms to curb the growing misuse of encrypted apps like Telegram by criminal networks.

Boluwatife Enome

Source:Reuters

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