Telegram privacy settings: phone number, groups, sessions and two-step password
Hide your number on Telegram, stop strangers adding you to groups, review active sessions and set a password so your account cannot be taken over.
Telegram shows your username and often your number to many people. Fake task, trading and job groups use it to reach you. Its settings let you hide your number, limit invites, and see which devices are signed in. Menu names differ slightly on Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, Realme and OnePlus phones.
Steps
- Open Privacy and Security. In Telegram tap the three line menu, then Settings, then Privacy and Security. You will see Phone Number, Last Seen, Profile Photo, Groups and more.
- Hide your number and details. Set Phone Number to Nobody and Who can find me by number to My Contacts. Set Last Seen and Profile Photo to My Contacts. A username can be shared instead of your number.
- Limit group and call invites. Open Groups and Channels and choose My Contacts, adding exceptions if needed. Do the same for Calls. This reduces random invites to fake investment or earning groups.
- Review Devices. Open Settings, then Devices, or Active Sessions. Check each session. Terminate those you do not know. Do this after lending the phone or if someone could have seen a login code.
- Set Two-Step Verification. In Privacy and Security tap Two-Step Verification, set a password and a recovery email. Never share this password or login codes. Telegram staff will not ask for them.
Menu names differ a little between phone makers and Android versions. If you cannot find a setting, open Settings and use the search box.
Why it matters
Telegram is used by scammers to run fake task, trading and part-time job groups that start small and ask for deposits. Account takeover through a shared login code is also common. Hiding your number, limiting invites and adding a password makes you less visible, less reachable by strangers, and much harder to hijack.
Watch out for
- A group promising daily earnings for likes or tasks is a classic scam.
- Do not deposit money to unlock tasks or withdraw profits.
- Login codes appear in Telegram itself, so do not forward them.
- Bots offering free recharge, loans or giveaways are often fake.
How Safeavio helps
Safeavio's Scam check works on messages you paste or share, such as a Telegram task offer, and gives plain reasons like money demands and urgency. Link check looks at links before you open them. It does not join or read your Telegram groups on its own.
Check it before you tap or pay
Safeavio Sentinel is a made-in-India Android app: paste a message or link, or scan a QR code, and get a plain verdict with the reasons. It helps you spot a scam; it does not promise to stop every one.
Download for AndroidWhat the app does
Google Play listing: coming soon. Today the signed APK is on safeavio.com/download. Android 7.0 or later.
Questions
Can people see my number if I choose Nobody?
Not through your profile. People who already have your number saved in their contacts may still see you. Review who can find you by number and use a username instead.
Are secret chats different from normal Telegram chats?
Secret chats are end to end encrypted between two devices. Normal chats are stored on Telegram servers. Neither prevents scams, so avoid sending money details to strangers.