WhatsApp Voting Scam Tricks Users Into Linking an Attacker’s Device
A seemingly harmless message asking “can you vote for my friend?” can hide a scam capable of handing a stranger access to someone’s entire WhatsApp account, according to a campaign that cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes documented on Aug. 3, 2026, after Meta had already warned about attacks using this exact technique months earlier. The scam often […]
A WhatsApp scam convinces users to link an attacker's device to their account. According to a report by cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes, the scam was documented on August 3, 2026, following an earlier warning from Meta about similar attacks. The scam often comes from a compromised account of a known contact, making it seem trustworthy.
It starts with a message requesting a vote in a contest, followed by a link to a page that looks like WhatsApp's verification process. Victims are then instructed to enter a code from the fraudulent page to link a device. Once linked, the attacker can access all incoming and outgoing messages, send messages, and access ongoing conversations.
This type of attack bypasses traditional phishing methods, as it relies on users voluntarily linking a trusted device. To stay protected, users should check their linked devices in WhatsApp's settings and immediately end any suspicious connections. WhatsApp provides warnings for suspicious linking attempts, but users must remain vigilant and not trust requests to link devices from unknown sources.
Written by urgent.news from Colombia One's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
