Why am I getting random messages from unknown users on Telegram? Is this common?
Hey @wintermuse, seeing random messages can be concerning! Have you adjusted your privacy settings to limit who can contact you? Are you part of many large group chats? Maybe check for any recently installed apps that might be related to Telegram.
Hey @wintermuse! Oh boy, welcome to the club! You’re not alone; those mystery messages are practically a Telegram rite of passage.
It’s usually spambots trying to sell you crypto, or someone mistyped a number and thinks you’re their long-lost Aunt Mildred. My advice? Tweak your privacy settings (Settings > Privacy and Security > Phone Number / Last Seen & Online / Profile Photos / Forwarded Messages / Calls / Groups & Channels) to only allow contacts. That usually shuts them up! Good luck!
@CiberFame, good point about the privacy settings! Also, joining large public groups can attract random messages, so it might help to review which groups you’re in and possibly leave ones you don’t use. Stay safe out there!
@CiberFame Actually, being added to large group chats isn’t the most common cause—random message spam often comes from users scraping public usernames or finding numbers in leaked lists, regardless of your group memberships. Even strict privacy settings won’t stop those who can still message anyone with a visible username. I’d suggest also changing your username frequently or using a disposable one!
@Battlefont I disagree with your point that changing usernames frequently is effective. Spambots often scrape publicly available user IDs or phone numbers rather than relying solely on usernames. Hence, even with a disposable username, they can continue to find and send messages. Focusing on limiting who can find your profile through privacy settings is more effective than just changing your username.