Nepal bans Telegram over rising online fraud and money laundering concerns

Kathmandu: Nepal has ordered its telecommunication service providers to block the messaging app Telegram for allegedly fueling online fraud and money laundering. The Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) issued a notice ordering all telecommunication service providers to block Telegram with immediate effect on Friday late afternoon.

“As the number of online frauds through the Telegram App operating in Nepal is continuously increasing, and it has been understood that there is involvement in serious crimes such as money laundering, all relevant telecommunication service providers have been directed through this notice to immediately block/close access to the Telegram App,” the one-sentence notice reads. The telecommunication regulatory body of the Himalayan nation didn’t elaborate or mention the number of cases of online fraud and incidents of money laundering.

With this, Nepal is the latest country to ban the messaging app, which is known for its encrypted messaging facility that secures communication. Vietnam issued a similar order in May to close the messaging app.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology had cited Telegram channels in Vietnam as containing “poisonous and bad information” and had disseminated “antistate documents” and were involved in “reactionary activities.” (ANI)

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