A United Nations report revealed that powerful criminal networks in Southeast Asia are increasingly using the messaging app Telegram, significantly transforming how organized crime operates at scale. The report, released Monday, is the latest to accuse the controversial encrypted app of facilitating criminal activity. This follows France's unprecedented legal action against Telegram's CEO, Pavel Durov, for allowing illicit activity on the platform.
The United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime (UNODC) stated that Telegram is being used to trade hacked data, including credit card details, passwords, and browser histories, across poorly moderated channels. Cybercrime tools like deepfake software for fraud and data-stealing malware are also sold widely, while unlicensed cryptocurrency exchanges offer money laundering services.
One advertisement, cited in the report, boasted, We move 3 million USDT stolen from overseas per day. The UNODC emphasized the increasing shift of underground data markets to Telegram, with vendors targeting transnational organized crime groups in Southeast Asia.
The report includes a chart showing the rise in mentions of deepfake-related keywords in underground Telegram marketplaces and forums in Southeast Asia from February to August 2024. Southeast Asia has become a major hub for a multibillion-dollar industry, driven largely by Chinese syndicates operating from fortified compounds with trafficked workers. The industry generates between $27.4 billion and $36.5 billion annually, according to the UNODC.
Durov, originally from Russia, was arrested in Paris in August and charged with allowing criminal activity on Telegram, including the spread of child sexual abuse material. His arrest has sparked debate about the responsibility of app providers and the balance between free speech and legal enforcement.
In response, Durov, currently out on bail, announced that Telegram would cooperate with legal authorities by sharing users' IP addresses and phone numbers upon request and removing features exploited for illegal activity. However, Telegram, which has close to 1 billion users, did not respond to requests for comment.
Benedikt Hofmann, UNODC's deputy representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, highlighted the growing risks for consumers, stating that their data is more vulnerable to scams and other criminal activities than ever before.
The report also highlighted the criminal groups' technological innovations, incorporating malware, generative AI, and deepfakes into their operations to maximize profits. The UNODC identified over 10 deepfake software service providers targeting criminal groups involved in cyber-enabled fraud in Southeast Asia.
In other parts of Asia, South Korean police are investigating Telegram's role in facilitating online sex crimes, particularly deepfake pornography. Additionally, a recent Reuters investigation revealed that a hacker used Telegram chatbots to leak sensitive data from Indian insurer Star Health, leading the company to file a lawsuit against the platform.