{
  "id": 18705539,
  "title": "The first hour after a token launch: a Telegram lockdown checklist",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/07/the-first-hour-after-a-token-launch-a-telegram-lockdown-checklist",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-11-07T12:01:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dev.to",
    "slug": "dev-to",
    "url": "https://dev.to/blockbuildlab/the-first-hour-after-a-token-launch-a-telegram-lockdown-checklist-4eoj"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In the critical first hour after a token launch, a Telegram group is especially vulnerable to infiltration by new members and scammers. This situation demands immediate action, and a checklist can help guide administrators through the process.\n\nBefore the launch, pin one message containing the real contract address, and only write a description stating that admins never initiate direct messages (DMs) with new members. The only contact allowed is the pinned message. Remove any unnecessary admin rights, ensuring that only the owner can add new admins. Set a captcha for those joining the group and block links and media from new members for at least the first few hours after the launch.\n\nOnce the launch occurs, post the contract address once and pin it from the owner's account. Activate slow mode for 10 to 30 seconds to manage spam floods without disrupting the chat. Assign one person to monitor new joins and identify any usernames that closely resemble existing admins.\n\nIn the event of a raid, raise the slow mode and restrict new members from posting. Pin a message warning of the ongoing raid and advise users not to click any links. If the raid originates from scammers, ban their accounts and then relax the restrictions once the threat has passed.\n\nAfter the first day, review deleted messages to ensure that any real holders of the token were not silenced inadvertently. Revoke any old invite links to prevent scammers from exploiting them in the following days. Maintain the lock on new-member links, as scammers often return on the second and third days. Automating some of these processes can greatly assist administrators. One such tool is BlockGuard, a self-hosted bot designed to delete any contract address (CA) other than the specified one, flag potential lookalike admin names (including Cyrillic and Greek letter swaps), lock links for new members, slow down raid activity, and provide the owner with easy-to-use Restore and Ban buttons. A public demonstration of this tool can be found at https://t.me/blockguard_demo. If you have any questions about setting up or using BlockGuard, you can reach out to the support group @Blockbuildlab1 on X.",
  "summary": "The first hour after a launch is when a Telegram group is most exposed: new members flood in, nobody knows who the real admins are yet, and scammers know it. This is the checklist I'd run, in order. 30 minutes before launch Pin one message with the real contract address and nothing else. Write the description: \"Admins never DM first. The only CA is the pinned one.\" Remove every admin right you…",
  "key_points": [
    "Pin real contract address in pinned message, restrict DMs to admins",
    "Set captcha, block links/media for new members during launch",
    "Assign monitor for new joins, watch for usernames resembling admins"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}