Police Warn Of WhatsApp Scam Hijacking Accounts Through Fake Voting Links

The Malta Police Force has issued a warning over a WhatsApp scam that is being used to hijack people’s accounts through fake online voting links.

According to police, members of the public have recently been receiving messages from their own contacts asking them to vote for someone in an online competition by clicking on a link.

However, accessing the link allows scammers to gain unauthorised control of the victim’s WhatsApp account.

Once an account has been compromised, scammers use it to send messages to the victim’s contacts requesting urgent financial assistance or asking for money transfers under false pretences. Because the messages appear to come from someone the recipient knows, they are more likely to be trusted.

Police are urging the public not to click on any WhatsApp links asking them to vote in online competitions, even if the message appears to have been sent by a trusted contact.

Anyone receiving a request for money is also advised to verify it directly with the person through a phone call or another secure method before sending any funds.

If you believe your WhatsApp account has been compromised, police recommend logging out of all linked devices immediately, reviewing your account’s security settings, enabling two-step verification and informing your contacts that your account may have been accessed by scammers.

Anyone who has fallen victim to the scam or transferred money is urged to report the incident at the nearest police station or online through the Malta Police Force’s reporting portal.

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Gabriel Falzon

Gabriel Falzon is a social media executive at Lovin Malta, with a keen interest in digital media, local businesses, and the natural world. Outside of work, you’ll often find him baking up a storm, diving into video games, or exploring the endless corners of YouTube.