After many users raised concerns about withdrawals, a Telegram mini-app called TON Turbo began scrubbing its digital footprint.

TON Turbo, a project built atop The Open Network, offers users so-called Toncoin (TON) mining rigs to generate profits by depositing crypto via a Telegram chat box. The mining rigs promised nearly doubled returns on the initial capital, with an opportunity to earn TON and prominent memecoin Shiba Inu (SHIB).

However, several aspiring miners using the platform reported withdrawal difficulties. Replies on the project’s Telegram channel suggested its deposit mechanism was a one-way corridor.

Additionally, TON is a proof-of-stake blockchain where validators are the key network contributors. Mining typically refers to proof-of-work networks like Bitcoin, which relies on participants called miners to validate transactions and discover new coins.

Once users sent crypto to the virtual mining rig, it seemingly churned profits over time, but withdrawing rewards was impossible. When users pointed out the issue, TON Turbo disabled customer support and locked its chat rooms.

The protocol closed replies between July 27 and Aug. 5, but the team continued to post promotional updates on X and Telegram.

TON Turbo ghosts customers

TON Turbo claimed to have secured several marquee partnerships, including with The Open Network, Tonkeeper, Telegram mini-game Dogs, and Shiba Inu. 

These claims were unverified, and crypto.news could not find proof of said partnerships outside of TON Turbo’s announcements. Requests for comments sent to TON Turbo admins were unanswered at press time.

Additionally, the project deleted its X page, which no longer exists when viewed. Its Telegram channel has over 54,889 members and at least 10,600 online users. When last reviewed by crypto.news on Aug. 15, the replies were mostly filled with angry users calling out the project as a con.

Project admins had deleted their Telegram accounts, and the private social network tagged updates on TON Turbo’s channel as a “scam.”

Social media and the project’s Telegram channel signaled that hundreds to thousands of investors tried using the supposed Telegram mining rig. How many users may have suffered losses is unknown, and how much was lost to this apparent exit scam remains to be seen.