The short answer
- 1Stars are bought only inside the app, on the Telegram Stars screen; outside top-up sites are not official.
- 2'Free Stars' and 'cheap top-ups' are after your login code or your money.
- 3Stars sent to a person cannot be cancelled, so 'send first' is always a scam.
In this article
There is one place to buy Stars
Telegram Stars are a prepaid balance for digital goods and services inside Telegram: paid posts, mini app items, gifts and subscriptions. You buy them inside the app, on the Telegram Stars screen, which charges through your app store or Telegram's own payment flow. A "Stars top-up site", a "reseller" or a bot that sells Stars for less is not an official route. See how Telegram Stars work.
- Your Stars balance
- Buy Stars — the only safe place to buy them is here, inside the app
- Earn Stars — for people who share mini apps
The common versions
| The offer | What it is really after |
|---|---|
| "Free Stars" site or bot | Your phone number and login code, which means your account |
| "Half-price Stars, we top up for you" | Money paid in advance, or your login details "so we can add them" |
| "You won a Stars event, pay a small fee in Stars first" | The Stars you send |
| A friend writes "can you send me some Stars, it's urgent" | The friend's account was taken over and is working through their contacts |
| "We convert your Stars to cash" | A deposit up front, or access to your account |
The "free Stars" sites and bots often end with a page that asks for your number and the code Telegram just sent you. That is a login page for someone else's device; see the login code nobody should ever ask for.
How real gifts and giveaways arrive
- A Stars gift is bought in the app by the sender and simply arrives. You do not enter anything or pay anything to receive it. See gifting Telegram Stars.
- An official channel giveaway is drawn by Telegram, which picks the winners and delivers the prize automatically. There is no giveaway that asks for a fee first; see fake Premium gift scams.
If you already sent Stars or money
- Send nothing more. A "refund fee" or "withdrawal fee" is the second scam.
- Keep evidence: screenshots of the chat, the other person's username and your payment records, before you delete anything.
- Report the account or bot in Telegram (⋮ › Report); see how to report.
- If you paid money, ask your bank or app store at once to stop or dispute the payment, and report to your local police or national fraud reporting service.
- If you typed a login code anywhere, open Settings, Devices and end every device you do not recognise, then turn on Two-Step Verification; see if an account was hacked.
FAQ
Are free Telegram Stars sites real?
No. Stars are bought only inside the Telegram app; free Stars sites and bots are after your login code or money.
Can I get back Stars I sent to someone?
No. Stars sent to a person cannot be cancelled. Refunds apply only to some purchases from bots and mini apps.
Do I have to pay a fee to receive a Stars gift?
No. A real Stars gift or Telegram giveaway arrives on its own and never asks you to pay first.
Sources
At a glance
- 1Buy
Only on the Telegram Stars screen in the app.
- 2Gifts
Real ones just arrive; you pay nothing.
- 3If caught
Stop, keep evidence, report, call your bank.
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