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Spot the scam

Safety guide · Updated 28 Oct 2026

Instagram and Telegram trade scams

Deals on Instagram and Telegram happen in DMs, with names and photos that can be copied, and usernames that can change. Slow down and check the account, not the story.

You can look up and report Telegram and Instagram @usernames on TrustDB. They are matched exactly as typed.

Warning signs

  • A seller who messages you first with a price that is too good.
  • A "reservation fee" or payment first from someone you have never dealt with.
  • Follower counts, badges or screenshot posts offered as proof. These can be bought or faked.
  • "My other account was banned" or "pay my friend instead".
  • A group that shows only positive messages, where admins can delete the rest.
  • A link or code request to "verify" you or send a prize.

Do and don't

The short version. Skim this first.

Do

  • Save the exact @username and profile link, and screenshot the profile, bio and chat before you do anything else.
  • Look the @username up in the lookup, and search for the name and photos outside the app too.
  • Check how old the account is and whether the posts and followers look real. On Instagram, the About This Account page shows when an account joined and its earlier usernames.
  • Ask for their IDs on other platforms and check those too.
  • Use a payment method with some protection, and keep the whole conversation in one place.
  • Check a group admin from the group's official information, not from a message.
  • Report the account with the app's own report tool, and report it on TrustDB.

Don't

  • Don't pay first to someone who just messaged you.
  • Don't treat a username as a permanent identity. It can be changed, or taken by someone else later.
  • Don't trust badges, follower counts or screenshots of vouches.
  • Don't send login codes, passwords or one-time codes to anyone.
  • Don't click links to "verify" an account or collect a prize.
  • Don't join "vouch groups" as proof of a seller's honesty.

If it already happened (paid or shared details)

  1. Screenshot the profile, the profile link and the chat now. The account may disappear. Keep payment proof with the transaction ID.
  2. Report the account in the app.
  3. Report it on TrustDB: choose Telegram or Instagram as the platform and enter the @username. A t.me or instagram.com link works too. Add screenshots, profile links and payment proof with a transaction ID or hash.
  4. If you paid by card, bank or a payment service, contact them straight away.
  5. If you shared a login or a code, follow the account takeover guide.

Where to go next

The right page on TrustDB for the next step.

Questions

  • Yes. Discord is where most trades happen, so Discord IDs give the most reliable match, but you can also search and report Telegram and Instagram usernames and wallets. Usernames can change, so staff link them to a TrustID once they are verified.
  • Add screenshots of the profile and chat, profile links and payment proof to the report. They help staff match the account even if the name changes.
  • No. A badge or a large following tells you nothing about how someone treats a buyer. Check their record, their other accounts and how they want to be paid.

More answers in the FAQ.

General safety information, not legal or financial advice. TrustDB isn't a party to your deals. We don't hold funds, act as a middleman or get refunds for you.

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