Protect Yourself from Fake Chatbots
06 March 2025 14:06
Counterfeit chatbots impersonating volunteer and governmental services are emerging online. Their motives can range from acquiring sensitive information to simple scams aimed at stealing money.
Identifying and blocking these accounts is no easy task. Cyber police are working diligently on this, but new fakes emerge while old ones are being taken down.
The chat bot 'Enemy,' used for reporting military movements, has at least 6 clones, while 'Ukrzaliznytsia' — more than 5. Some of these fakes do not function, which can prevent you from purchasing tickets at crucial moments. All these bots are uncontrolled, and their creators can easily deceive you during transactions.
How to Spot a Fake Bot?
Fake bots:
● look almost identical to real ones, differing only by an extra character in the name or link;
● lack a blue verification badge or might have a counterfeit in the form of an emoji (can be bought in premium Telegram, but may differ in color);
● may respond in Russian or have menus in Russian;
● might not work, giving the impression that state services are unreliable.
To verify a bot, use the 'Botchecker' tool on the Dovidka.info website.
What is Botchecker and how does it help?
It is a database of verified chatbots developed by the Center for Strategic Communications in collaboration with cyber police.
“Over three years, more than 100,000 users have utilized the Botchecker. It became useful when governmental bodies started actively using Telegram to communicate with citizens. Unfortunately, the Russians also began creating fakes. Our tool helps people identify counterfeit bots and avoid traps. There are known cases where scammers cloned military chatbots to obtain personal data,” says Mykola Balaban, Deputy Head of the Center for Strategic Communications.
How to use the Botchecker?
- Enter the name or link of the chatbot in the search field.
- Get information about its authenticity and developer.
- If the bot is not in the database, report it to the cyber police via @stopdrugsbot (BRAMA on Telegram) for verification.
Stay Alert! Don’t let the enemy deceive you!