How to Block Messages from Unknown People on Telegram?

Since Telegram allows starting chats via phone number or username, it's quite common to receive messages from people you don't know. Especially if you join public groups and channels, your username or profile can be easily seen by different people. This increases the risk of spam, advertising, or harassment messages.

If you are active on digital-focused platforms like Sepetbayım, your social media accounts are public, and your usernames are similar, your Telegram account also becomes more visible. When this visibility is not managed properly, message traffic from strangers can become annoying.

Risk of being found by phone number

If someone can find you on Telegram via your phone number, usually the following scenarios apply:

• You are saved in their contacts, and Telegram’s matching shows you.
• Your number has been openly shared and copied on a group, website, listing platform, etc.
• Your number has leaked somehow through various apps or forms.

Since the app keeps contact matching active by default, if you are saved in someone’s contacts, they can easily find you on Telegram. To reduce this, you need to configure your privacy settings in detail—we will cover this later in the article.

Receiving messages via username

When you set a username on Telegram, it becomes a kind of public user link. For example, if your username is @example_user, anyone can search for this name and send you a message. This is the most common reason for receiving messages from unknown people.

Especially if:

• You frequently post messages in public groups,
• You share your username on social media,
• You leave your Telegram username on platforms where you sell products/services,

people you don’t know—even from different countries—may start contacting you. Similar situations happen on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter; however, Telegram’s "message via username" dynamic makes foreign messages more visible. You can find similar security tips for other platforms on our blog page.

The clearest way to permanently stop messages from unknown people on Telegram is to block the person. Blocking can be done with a few taps on both the mobile app and desktop version. The blocked person cannot message you again, call you, or see your online status.

Quick blocking on the mobile app

The easiest way when you receive a message from someone unknown is to block directly from the chat screen:

1. Open the chat where the unwanted message arrived.
2. Tap the person's name or profile photo at the top of the screen.
3. In the opened profile, press the three-dot icon at the top right corner.
4. Select Block.
5. Confirm by tapping Block again in the confirmation window.

After these steps, the person is blocked and becomes inactive in your chat list. You can also delete the chat to make it completely invisible if you wish.

Blocking on desktop (PC/Mac) app

If you use Telegram on your computer, the process is similar:

1. Open the relevant chat from the left menu.
2. Click the person's name at the top of the window.
3. In the profile window, click the three-dot icon or the "More" button.
4. Select Block and confirm.

The blocked person cannot access any information from your account. If you want to unblock later, you can use the Unblock option from the same menu.

Note: Blocking individually is not enough. To fully reduce messages from strangers, you also need to tighten your privacy settings. We will go through detailed privacy policies in the following sections.

Although Telegram is a secure instant messaging app, annoying messages are inevitable if user settings are not configured correctly. As the Sepetbayım team, in our social media security and privacy guides, we always recommend optimizing settings first and then using the blocking mechanism when necessary.

Blocking individually is a temporary solution; the permanent fix is to properly configure Telegram privacy settings. You can largely control who can see you, who can add you to groups, and who can message you directly.

Who can see your phone number?

If you don’t want to be found via your phone number on Telegram, the first step is:

1. Go to Telegram settings.
2. Open the Privacy and Security section.
3. Tap the Phone Number menu.
4. Select Nobody here.

There is usually a second option below like "Who can find me by my number?" If you also set this to Nobody, you minimize the chance that any stranger who has your number can find you on Telegram.

Username usage and visibility

Since your username is a public tag, if you want to be completely invisible, you can remove your username:

1. Go to Edit Profile in settings.
2. Leave the Username field empty or change it.

Then only people who know your number can start a chat with you. However, if you use Telegram for work, community, or content creation, a username might be necessary. In this case, be cautious when sharing your username publicly on other social media platforms. Especially your Telegram username shared in your Instagram or TikTok bios becomes visible to wide audiences.

Who can add you to groups?

Sometimes the source of messages from strangers is groups you are automatically added to. Therefore:

1. Go to Privacy and Security > Groups and Channels.
2. Set Who can add me to groups/channels? to My Contacts.
3. You can grant broader permissions to specific people with exceptions.

This setting significantly reduces the chance of being automatically added to spam groups. Especially a large portion of advertising messages from strangers come from such groups.

Not every message from unknown people on Telegram carries the same risk. Some are just promotional spam, some are serious scam attempts, and some may be psychological harassment. Understanding which type of message you face is critical to responding correctly.

Common unwanted message types

How to recognize scam messages?

Recent common scam scenarios on Telegram include:

• Fake security alerts like "Login attempt detected on your account, verify via this link",
• Invitations to investment groups promising high returns,
• Accounts claiming you won a giveaway but asking for tax or fees.

These messages share pressure for quick decisions and requests for personal data or money. Never respond to such messages, do not click links, and block the account immediately.

Additional steps in harassment and threat cases

Harassment messages are not only a digital problem but also a psychological burden. In such cases:

• Take screenshots before deleting messages.
• After blocking the person, share your situation with trusted friends or a professional if needed.
• If there are serious threats, blackmail, or disclosure of personal data, contact law enforcement.

The Sepetbayım team prioritizes user safety when providing social media tools. Especially content in the security and privacy category helps you act more consciously against such risks.

If you have been using Telegram for a long time, your chat list may be filled with unknown people. Instead of blocking each one individually, a systematic cleanup is much more practical. This becomes especially important when spam bots increase in number.

Strategy to identify suspicious chats

First, quickly review your chat list and identify accounts that meet the following criteria:

• Accounts without profile photos or using very generic stock images,
• Those whose first message is a link, advertisement, or crypto invitation,
• Accounts sending first messages in foreign languages (usually English, Russian, etc.),
• People who repeatedly message you but you haven’t replied for a long time.

You can select these chats and block and delete them one by one. Telegram currently does not have a one-click "bulk block" feature, but with a quick review, you can clean dozens of accounts within minutes.

Managing blocked users

To view and manage your blocked users list:

1. Go to Privacy and Security settings.
2. Open the Blocked Users section.
3. Here you can see the entire blocked list and unblock individually if needed.

This section is useful when you ask yourself "Who did I block and why?" after some time. Sometimes you may notice mistakenly blocked users and simplify your list.

When should you delete chat history?

If a message from an unknown person contains a serious threat, often deleting the chat after taking screenshots can be psychologically relieving. However, if blackmail or scams are involved, it is beneficial to keep these records for a while. In possible legal proceedings, especially threat messages and account information serve as important evidence.

It is also important to apply similar cleanup habits on Instagram DMs, TikTok messages, and Twitter/X private messages. For account management and interaction strategies on these platforms, you can also benefit from our Instagram interaction guide and Twitter/X follower growth articles.

Blocking messages from unknown people alone is not enough. If your account is compromised, fraud can be committed in your name and messages can be sent to unknown people from your account. Therefore, securing your Telegram account is critically important.

Enable two-step verification (2FA)

Telegram offers an additional password layer besides the one-time codes sent via SMS or calls. To activate it:

1. Go to Privacy and Security in settings.
2. Open the Two-Step Verification option.
3. Set your login password and add a hint.
4. Optionally, provide an email address to enable account recovery.

After this step, anyone trying to log in to your Telegram account will need both the SMS code and the password you set. This adds an extra protection layer against attacks like SIM card cloning.

Regularly check active sessions

You should occasionally check which devices have your account logged in:

1. Go to Privacy and Security > Active Sessions.
2. See which devices are logged in and from which city/country.
3. If you see a suspicious session, immediately use "Log out from all other sessions".

This way, you can quickly cut unauthorized access. Strong password, 2FA, and active session monitoring form the basic security trio.

Secure password and app hygiene

For your Telegram account:

• Protect your phone’s lock with fingerprint, face recognition, or a strong PIN.
• Set a screen lock (passcode lock) in Telegram; require a password after inactivity.
• Download the app only from official stores and keep it updated.

Additionally, be careful with third-party tools you use to manage social media accounts. Sepetbayım’s free Instagram followers, free TikTok likes, and free Twitter views tools emphasize security by working without passwords; such passwordless solutions reduce the risk of account takeover.

Like Instagram and other platforms, Telegram can show some message requests separately from your main chat inbox. Especially first messages from people who don’t have you in their contacts or found you by username act like "requests." Managing these requests properly reduces the risk of messages from unknown people.

Configure notifications smartly

If you don’t want to hear notification sounds for every message from unknown people:

1. Go to Telegram settings.
2. Open Notifications and Sounds.
3. Customize "Who you receive notifications from" and group/channel notification preferences.

For example, you can turn off notification sounds for unknown contacts and keep sound notifications only for people in your contacts. This way, when you get a message from an unknown person, you see it when you open the app, but your phone won’t ring constantly.

Keep read receipts under control

When you open a message, the other side sees a "read" receipt, which can pressure you especially in harassment or persistent messages. Although you cannot completely disable read receipts on Telegram, keep these points in mind:

• You can read message content from notification previews without opening the chat.
• You can block spam or scam messages without opening them if you recognize them immediately.

Tip: If a message from an unknown person contains files, links, or media, do not interact with any content even if you open the chat. First evaluate their profile and message text; if suspicious, block immediately.

Practical habits to filter message requests

Telegram does not have an official "message request box" as clearly as other platforms, but you can create a similar effect with these habits:

• Do not reply immediately to unknown people; check their profile and mutual groups.
• Observe for a short time even if the first message is polite like "Hello, block me if you don’t want me to write."
• If they start asking for money, codes, links, or files in any way, end the chat immediately.

This approach applies not only to Telegram but also to Instagram DMs and other social networks. For a broader social media security framework, check out articles in the social media category.

Messages from unknown people often give clues about where your personal data is visible. Your phone number, username, profile photo, and other shared information may fall under personal data protection in Turkey. Therefore, it is important to set your Telegram privacy preferences while also considering your legal rights.

Telegram and official guidelines

Telegram’s help documents and privacy policy provide a framework on how the platform processes your data. Similarly, official help pages and community rules on other platforms are critical. For example:

• Instagram Help Center informs users about privacy, blocking, and reporting processes.
• TikTok Community Guidelines detail what content and behaviors are prohibited.

If you encounter harassment or scams on Telegram, you should use official complaint and reporting mechanisms and notify the platform as much as possible.

Your rights under KVKK

The main legal framework for personal data protection in Turkey is set by KVKK. Although Telegram is not a Turkey-based service, where and how your personal data is shared and with which third parties (e.g., public groups, channels) is also important from a KVKK perspective.

For example:

• If you publicly share your phone number on listing sites saying "Contact me on Telegram," this number can easily fall into the hands of malicious people.
• In Telegram groups used for work or campaigns, you may need to share informative messages about participants’ rights and data.

Sepetbayım’s KVKK text and privacy policy clearly explain how users’ data is protected and processed under which principles. You should maintain the same sensitivity in Telegram groups and channels you manage.

Reporting harassment and illegal content

If a message from an unknown person contains illegal content, serious threats, or threats to disclose your personal data, this is not only a platform rule violation but also a crime under the Turkish Penal Code. In such cases:

• Save messages and the account’s username with screenshots.
• If possible, export the chat history using the "export chat history" feature.
• Seek legal support or contact law enforcement if necessary.

Every violation in the digital world is a matter to be taken seriously. Every step you take to protect yourself on Telegram will positively affect your behavior on other social networks as well.

Blocking messages from unknown people on Telegram is only part of your broader social media ecosystem. Telegram, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter/X, YouTube, WhatsApp, and other channels work together; information leaked from one can invite unwanted messages on others.

Cross-platform visibility chain

For example:

• You write your Telegram username in your Instagram bio.
• You use the same username on your Twitter profile.
• You are active in public groups on Telegram.

In this case, someone can reach your other accounts and Telegram just by starting from a single profile. While it’s impossible to completely break this chain, you can control it. To do this:

1. Regularly review privacy settings on each platform.
2. Separate your personal number from your business/project number as much as possible.
3. Choose public usernames and links consciously.

Safe growth and interaction strategies

Especially for content creators and brands, being "completely invisible" is not possible; you need visibility to grow. The key is balancing visibility with security. For example:

• While growing your Instagram account, you can increase engagement with passwordless tools like free Instagram likes without sharing your password with anyone.
• On Twitter/X, you can run trial campaigns with tools like free Twitter followers while maintaining the same security reflexes.

Sepetbayım aims to offer a secure bridge in this area with its ad-supported and user-payment-free model. However, whatever tool you use, never share your account password with third parties—that is a fundamental security rule.

Long-term digital hygiene habits

You now know what to do when you receive a message from an unknown person on Telegram. To make this knowledge permanent, turn these habits into routine:

• Check your Telegram privacy and security settings once a month.
• Review your blocked users list and clean suspicious accounts.
• Limit communication info on other social media accounts to channels you truly need.

This way, you will have a calmer, more controlled, and safer experience not only on Telegram but across your entire digital presence.