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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about BeefyGuard bot.

General Questions

What is BeefyGuard?

BeefyGuard is a Telegram bot that protects your group from impersonators and scammers by detecting when users try to impersonate your group admins.

How does it work?

The bot monitors group members and compares their names to your admin list. When it detects a match (based on similarity threshold), it takes action (ban, kick, or warn).

Is it free?

BeefyGuard offers free trials. Check pricing plans for subscription options.

Do I need to be technical to use it?

No! The bot is designed to be easy to use. You can configure everything through the web dashboard or simple commands.

Setup Questions

How do I add the bot to my group?

  1. Open your Telegram group
  2. Go to group settings → Add Members
  3. Search for @beefyguard_bot
  4. Add the bot to your group

What permissions does the bot need?

The bot needs admin permissions with:

  • Delete messages
  • Ban users
  • Restrict members (for mute/kick)

How do I get my Group ID?

Use the /groupinfo command in your group. The bot will show your Group ID along with other information.

How do I access the dashboard?

Use the /dashboard command in your group or private chat. The bot will provide a secure link.

Detection Questions

How accurate is the detection?

Detection accuracy depends on your similarity threshold setting. Default (0.85) provides a good balance between catching impersonators and avoiding false positives.

What is similarity threshold?

It's a number from 0.0 to 1.0 that determines how similar a name must be to trigger detection:

  • 0.0 = Exact match only
  • 0.85 = Similar names (default)
  • 1.0 = Very loose match

Why didn't the bot detect an impersonator?

Possible reasons:

  • Similarity threshold too high
  • User is whitelisted
  • Admin list not synced
  • Scan interval too long

Why is the bot detecting legitimate users?

Possible reasons:

  • Similarity threshold too low
  • User has similar name to admin
  • Solution: Add user to whitelist

Settings Questions

How do I change settings?

You can change settings in two ways:

  1. Dashboard (recommended): Use /dashboard command, then configure in web interface
  2. Commands: Use commands like /set_similarity 0.90

Do I need to save settings?

No! Settings in the dashboard are saved automatically when you change them.

How do I reset to defaults?

In the dashboard, you can reset individual settings or contact support for a full reset.

Can I use commands and dashboard together?

Yes! Changes made in either place are synced. You can use whichever method is more convenient.

Admin Questions

How do I add admins to tracking?

Use /sync_admins to automatically sync all current group admins, or use /add_admin <name> to add manually.

What if I add a new admin?

Run /sync_admins again to update the tracked admin list.

Can I remove an admin from tracking?

Yes, use /remove_admin <name> to remove an admin from tracking.

Whitelist Questions

What is the whitelist?

The whitelist is a list of users who should never be detected, even if their name matches an admin.

How do I add someone to whitelist?

Reply to a message from that user and use /add_whitelist command.

How do I remove someone from whitelist?

Reply to a message from that user and use /remove_whitelist command.

Flagged Names Questions

What are flagged names?

Flagged names are specific names that should always trigger alerts, regardless of similarity threshold.

When should I use flagged names?

Use for:

  • Known scammer names
  • Common impersonation patterns
  • Names that should always be blocked

How do I add flagged names?

Use /add_flagged <name> command or add in dashboard.

Announcement Questions

How do I forward announcements?

  1. Add bot to your announcement channel as admin
  2. Set "Announcement Channel ID" in dashboard
  3. Enable "Announcement Forwarding"

Can announcements be pinned automatically?

Yes! Enable "Auto Pin Announcements" in dashboard and set pin duration.

How many announcements can be pinned?

Telegram allows up to 5 pinned messages. The bot will unpin oldest if limit reached.

Troubleshooting Questions

Bot is not responding

  • Check if bot is online with /botinfo
  • Verify bot has admin permissions
  • Try restarting bot (contact support if owner)

Settings not saving

  • Check internet connection
  • Refresh dashboard page
  • Try logging out and back in

Can't access dashboard

  • Make sure you're an admin
  • Get fresh link with /dashboard command
  • Check if link expired (24 hours)

Getting too many false positives

  • Increase similarity threshold
  • Add legitimate users to whitelist
  • Review flagged names list

Missing detections

  • Decrease similarity threshold
  • Add more flagged names
  • Sync admin list
  • Check scan interval

Support Questions

How do I get help?

  1. Check this FAQ
  2. Read Common Issues
  3. Use /feedback command to contact support
  4. Visit Support page

How do I report a bug?

Use /feedback command and describe the issue. Include:

  • What you were trying to do
  • What happened
  • What you expected to happen

How do I request a feature?

Use /feedback command to suggest new features. We review all feedback!

See Also