Police warn over 'Vote for Emma' WhatsApp scam
Clicking on the link could give fraudsters access to your account, allowing them to target your contacts, police say
The police has issued a warning about a WhatsApp fraudulent scam asking recipients to vote for a friend’s daughter, cautioning that responding to the message could give scammers unauthorized access to their accounts.
A number of people have reportedly received a WhatsApp message from one of their contacts asking them to “vote for Emma. She’s the daughter of a friend of mine.” In some cases the message said the girl was called "Sonya".
The messages invariably stated the vote for the girl was “very important” as the prize was a “free scholarship for studies” or there was a “grand prize of Disneyland tickets”.
The message included a link to a dance-related website. Clicking on the link led to a webpage featuring a picture of two young girls in ballet outfits with no further information.
The police warned the public “not to click on or activate the link”.
“Once the link is accessed, the sender of the message may gain unauthorised control of the victim's WhatsApp account. They then use the compromised account to send messages to the victim's contacts, requesting urgent financial assistance or asking for money transfers under false pretences,” the police said.
They pointed out that the requests “appear to come from a trusted contact” which increased the likelihood that recipients believe the messages are genuine.
Anyone who has fallen victim to this scam or transferred money as a result is encouraged to report the incident immediately at the nearest police station or online via the Malta Police website, the police said.
The police urged the public to take the following precautions:
- Do not click on or activate links received via WhatsApp asking you to vote in online competitions or similar campaigns.
- Be cautious, even if the message appears to have been sent by someone you know.
- Always verify any request for money by contacting the person directly by phone or through another secure means of communication before making any transfer.
- If you believe your WhatsApp account has been compromised, immediately log out of any linked devices, review your account security settings, enable two-step verification if it is not already activated, and inform your contacts that your account may have been compromised.