- Report someone on Telegram by reporting their message
- Report spam from a stranger on Telegram
- What happens to a Telegram account after you report it
- Reporting someone on Telegram who's pretending to be you
- Reporting Telegram groups, channels and bots
- What Telegram can't act on through reports
- What to do alongside a Telegram report
- If you can't find the Report button on Telegram
- Frequently asked questions
To report someone on Telegram, report one of their messages: tap it on Android, press and hold it on iPhone, or right-click it on a computer, then choose Report and pick a reason. The detail people miss: reporting doesn't stop them messaging you, so block them too.
Unwanted messages on Telegram tend to arrive the same way: a stranger finds your username, a fake investment offer lands in your chats, or someone in a busy group starts posting spam. Reporting is how you get Telegram's moderators to look at it, and it takes only a few taps.
If you run a Telegram group or channel for your business, knowing how to report matters twice over, because spam in your community reflects on you. Here's how reporting works on each device, what Telegram says it can and can't act on, and what to do alongside a report. Everything follows Telegram's own FAQ.
Report someone on Telegram by reporting their message
Telegram's FAQ says all its apps have Report buttons that let you flag content for moderators in just a few taps. The gesture depends on your device:
| Device | How to open the Report option |
|---|---|
| Android | Tap the message, then choose Report |
| iPhone and iPad | Press and hold the message, then choose Report |
| Desktop, Web and macOS | Right-click the message, then choose Report |
After you choose Report, Telegram asks you to pick a reason. Choose the one that fits best, such as spam, violence or illegal content. Then confirm.
Report spam from a stranger on Telegram
When someone you don't know messages you for the first time, Telegram usually shows options at the top of the chat to block the person or report the chat as spam. Telegram's spam FAQ explains that pressing Report spam forwards those messages to its team of moderators for review.
- Open the chat from the person you don't know.
- Look for the Report spam or block option near the top of the chat.
- Tap it and confirm.
Menus vary by app version, so if you don't see the banner, report a single message using the steps above instead. Either way, the moderators see the messages you've flagged.
What happens to a Telegram account after you report it
Telegram doesn't tell you the outcome of each report, but its FAQ explains the kinds of action it takes:
- Reported accounts can only send messages to people who have their number saved as a contact. That stops them messaging strangers.
- Accounts can be frozen after reports. A frozen account can still read chats but can't send messages or post content.
- Telegram's spam FAQ says limits are often temporary at first, and repeated offences lead to longer restrictions.
- Accounts that think they were limited by mistake can contact @SpamBot, or appeal a freeze from within the app.
The person isn't told who reported them. From your side, nothing visible changes, so if you'd like them gone from your chats, block them as well.
Reporting someone on Telegram who's pretending to be you
Impersonation is a common trick, especially against business owners whose names customers already trust. Telegram's FAQ says that if a scammer is pretending to be you, you should contact @NoToScam, Telegram's official account for this.
- Search for @NoToScam inside Telegram and check the spelling carefully.
- Explain who you are and include the username of the fake account.
- Warn your customers or group members through your own official channel that the fake account isn't you.
Never send passwords, login codes or bank details to anyone claiming to be Telegram support. Telegram's own FAQ says to treat bots and strangers with care and never share those details.
Reporting Telegram groups, channels and bots
You can report more than individual people. Telegram says it processes requests to take down illegal public content such as sticker sets, bots, groups and channels. Open the channel or group profile and look for the Report option in its menu, or report a specific post the same way you'd report a message.
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For bigger takedown requests, Telegram's FAQ lists an abuse email address on its FAQ page and asks you to include links to the content, such as the group or channel's t.me address or its username. If you're in the EU, the FAQ also points to separate reporting options under the Digital Services Act.
What Telegram can't act on through reports
This is the honest part. Telegram's FAQ says private chats and private groups are treated differently from public content, and in its copyright section it says it doesn't process requests related to them. Secret chats are end-to-end encrypted, so Telegram says it has no data from them to disclose. If you're wondering how that compares with other apps, my explainer on what end-to-end encrypted means on WhatsApp covers the idea in plain English.
In practice, that means reporting is most effective for spam and for public content. For a nasty private conversation, reporting the messages still flags them, but blocking the person is the quickest way to protect yourself.
What to do alongside a Telegram report
- Block the person so they can't keep messaging you.
- Take screenshots of anything threatening before you delete a chat, in case you need them later.
- If you run a group, remove the spammer from it as an admin.
- If anyone is harassing or threatening you, report it to Telegram and, if you're in danger, contact the police.
Reporting works similarly on other apps. Instagram, for example, reviews reports on its own timescale, which I explain in my guide on how long Instagram takes to review a report.
If you can't find the Report button on Telegram
- You're tapping the chat in your list rather than a message inside it. Open the chat and use a message instead.
- Your app is out of date. Update Telegram and try again.
- You're on a desktop computer and left-clicking. Right-click the message to see Report.
- The content is in a private chat you've already deleted. You can't report what's gone, so act before deleting next time.
Frequently asked questions
How do I report someone on Telegram?
Report one of their messages. Tap it on Android, press and hold it on iPhone, or right-click it on a computer, choose Report and pick a reason.
Does Telegram tell someone I reported them?
Telegram doesn't say it tells them who reported them. Reported accounts may find they can only message people who have their number saved.
What happens when you report someone on Telegram?
Moderators review the reported messages. According to Telegram's FAQ, reported accounts can be limited to messaging their contacts or frozen so they can't send messages.
How do I report a fake account pretending to be me on Telegram?
Telegram's FAQ says to contact @NoToScam if a scammer is pretending to be you.
Should I block someone as well as reporting them on Telegram?
Usually, yes. Reporting flags the messages to moderators, while blocking stops the person contacting you straight away.
