As Telegram continues to grow, so does the presence of scam accounts, impersonators, and automated bots. Currently, verified badges (blue checkmarks) are reserved almost exclusively for official channels, public figures, and organizations. This leaves regular users—such as group administrators, freelancers, and active community members—vulnerable to scammers who clone their profile photos, names, and bio details to deceive others in private messages.
To solve this, Telegram should introduce an optional Personal Identity Verification feature for individual users, similar to verification systems on VK or Facebook.
Under this system, users could voluntarily verify their real-world identity using secure liveness checks (a selfie scan) or official document verification processed via encrypted, privacy-focused third-party providers. Verified users would receive a distinct badge or status on their profile, proving they are a real human being rather than a bot or fraudulent actor.
Crucially, this feature would remain 100% voluntary, preserving privacy and anonymity for anyone who prefers it. By giving users a way to prove their authenticity, Telegram can drastically cut down on identity theft, increase trust in group chats and P2P transactions, and make the platform safer for everyone.