HT TECH wants to start sending you push notifications. Click allow to subscribe

Telegram bot lets hackers look up your phone number easily

A bot on the popular messaging service reportedly taps in a 2019 data breach of over 400 million users to serve up their phone numbers - for a small sum.   

By: HT TECH
Updated on: Aug 21 2022, 14:32 IST
The bot also reportedly claims to provide details of users in 19 countries, including the UK, US, Canada and Australia.  (REUTERS)
The bot also reportedly claims to provide details of users in 19 countries, including the UK, US, Canada and Australia.  (REUTERS)

Hackers and other unscrupulous elements are now able to use a popular chat application to look up a database of phone numbers of Facebook users whose data was compromised in a data breach two years ago, according to reports.

An unsecured server was found in 2019 by a researcher, who discovered that 419 million records were present - these included over 150 million users in total from the United States and the United Kingdom. It is believed that a bot on the popular chat application Telegram is being used to look up and discover the contact details of Facebook users, according to Vice.

You may be interested in

Mobiles Tablets Laptops
7% OFF
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
  • Black Titanium
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 256 GB Storage
₹148,900₹159,900
Buy now
23% OFF
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 5G
  • Green
  • 12 GB RAM
  • 256 GB Storage
₹115,999₹149,999
Buy now
Google Pixel 8 Pro
  • Obsidian
  • 12 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
₹106,998
Check details
Apple iPhone 15 Plus
  • Black
  • 6 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
₹87,900
Check details
21% OFF
Acer Swift Go SFG14 41 NX KG3SI 002 Laptop
  • Pure Silver
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 512 GB SSD
₹58,990₹74,999
Buy now
39% OFF
Acer Aspire 5 A515 57G Laptop
  • Gray
  • 16 GB RAM
  • 512 GB SSD
₹54,949₹89,999
Buy now
22% OFF
Acer Aspire 3 A315 24 NX KDESI 004 Laptop
  • Silver
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 512 GB SSD
₹33,499₹42,999
Buy now
39% OFF
Asus VivoBook 15 X515JA BQ322WS Laptop
  • Transparent Silver
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 512 GB SSD
₹31,490₹51,990
Buy now
34% OFF
Xiaomi Pad 6
  • Mist Blue
  • 6 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
₹26,299₹39,999
Buy now
55% OFF
Lenovo Tab M10 5G
  • Abyss Blue
  • 6 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
₹20,999₹47,000
Buy now
32% OFF
Realme Pad 2
  • Imagination Grey
  • 6 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
₹19,790₹28,999
Buy now
Honor Pad X9
  • Gray
  • 4 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
₹14,999
Check details

The report states that the bot is quite straightforward in its approach, asking users to enter the phone number they want to look up in exchange for the Facebook user ID, or perform a sort of ‘reverse search’ and find out a users number by entering only their Facebook ID. Given that over 400 million users’ data were part of that unsecured database, it is likely that many people you know would have their data publicly available via this bot.

Also read: Don't fall for this WhatsApp hacking message, it's fake

The bot also reportedly claims to provide details of users in 19 countries, including the UK, US, Canada and Australia, and asks for “credits” to reveal the initially redacted phone number. During Vice’s tests with the bot, it was confirmed that the bot returned the phone number of a user who usually kept their number private.

The report goes on to say that Facebook has claimed that the bot does not work on any Facebook IDs that were created after the company fixed the vulnerability. However, it still leaves all the other accounts created before 2019 in the dark, as their data is now accessible to cyber criminals and other elements who simply need access to Telegram and some money to spare.

Catch all the Latest Tech News, Mobile News, Laptop News, Gaming news, Wearables News , How To News, also keep up with us on ,Twitter, Facebook, , and Instagram. For our latest videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel.

First Published Date: 25 Jan, 23:39 IST

Sale

Mobiles Tablets Laptops
4% OFF
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
  • Titanium Black
  • 12 GB RAM
  • 256 GB Storage
₹129,999₹134,999
Buy now
13% OFF
Xiaomi 14
  • Matte Black
  • 12 GB RAM
  • 512 GB Storage
₹69,999₹79,999
Buy now
10% OFF
Apple iPhone 15 Plus
  • Black
  • 6 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
₹72,200₹79,900
Buy now
12% OFF
IQOO 12 5G
  • Legend
  • 12 GB RAM
  • 256 GB Storage
₹52,999₹59,999
Buy now
35% OFF
Xiaomi Pad 6
  • Mist Blue
  • 6 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
₹25,998₹39,999
Buy now
38% OFF
Lenovo Tab M10 5G
  • Abyss Blue
  • 6 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
₹20,999₹34,000
Buy now
50% OFF
Realme Pad 2
  • Imagination Grey
  • 6 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
₹12,999₹25,999
Buy now
57% OFF
Honor Pad X8
  • Blue Hour
  • 3 GB RAM
  • 32 GB Storage
₹8,999₹20,999
Buy now
35% OFF
Asus TUF Gaming A15 FA566II HN233T Laptop
  • Fortress Gray
  • 16 GB RAM
  • 512 GB SSD
₹52,990₹81,990
Buy now
21% OFF
Asus VivoBook Pro 15 M6500QC HN542WS Laptop
  • Cool Silver
  • 16 GB RAM
  • 512 GB SSD
₹69,990₹88,990
Buy now
27% OFF
Asus ROG Strix G15 G512LI HN331TS Laptop
  • Electro Punk
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 1 TB SSD
₹79,990₹109,990
Buy now
21% OFF
Asus VivoBook Go 15 OLED E1504GA LK323WS Laptop
  • Green Grey
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 512 GB SSD
₹33,999₹42,999
Buy now
NEXT ARTICLE BEGINS