Crypto "investment" spam usually hits a Telegram group in waves: a fresh account joins, waits a few minutes, then drops a link or a DM bait message. This tutorial walks through a layered setup that stops most of it without annoying real members.
Step 1: Tighten the default member permissions
Open the group, tap the name, then Edit → Permissions. For new groups we recommend:
- Turn off Send links for regular members (admins can still post them).
- Turn off Add members so raiders cannot pull in their own bot accounts.
- Turn on Slow mode at 10–30 seconds during busy periods.
These three switches alone remove a large share of the drive-by link drops.
Step 2: Add a verification step for new joiners
Most spam accounts never answer a challenge. An anti-spam bot such as 虾宝 (Xiabao) — @xiabaotg_bot — can greet each new member with a quick check and mute anyone who does not pass within the time limit. It is free for group owners. Add the bot to the group, promote it to admin with Delete messages and Ban users, and keep the challenge window short (60–120 seconds).
Step 3: Watch for the classic spam patterns
Even with verification, keep an eye on:
- Usernames made of random letters plus digits.
- Profile photos copied from stock images.
- First message containing a wallet address, "DM me", or a shortened URL.
- Accounts that edit an innocent message into a link minutes later.
When you see one, delete, ban, and report the account to Telegram with Report → Spam so it stops hurting other groups too.
Step 4: Write a short pinned rule
A three-line pinned message ("No links from new members; no DMs to members; admins never DM first") gives your moderators something clear to enforce and warns members about impersonation scams.
Step 5: Review weekly
Check the admin log (Recent actions) once a week. If the same pattern keeps slipping through, tighten that specific rule rather than locking the whole group.
Disclosure: this guide was written by the 虾宝 team, which maintains the bot mentioned above.