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Beware of the "Vote for Sara" message! The fraudulent scheme that is spreading on WhatsApp

2026-02-07 14:16:48Aktualitet SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
The ballerina and the message that reaches users on WhatsApp

“Hi! Can you take a moment to vote for Sarah? She is my friend's daughter and the winner gets a year of free dance lessons. This is extremely important to her.” 

If you have also received such a message on your mobile phone, be careful: it is a fraud scheme that has been circulating on WhatsApp for days and has already affected users in Albania.

Beware of the "Vote for Sara" message! The fraudulent scheme that is
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Many users of the social network WhatsApp report that they have received messages inviting them to click on a link to vote in a children's dance competition, under the pretext that it is about the daughter or granddaughter of a famous person.

In fact, we are dealing with a typical campaign for data theft via SMS, and to make it more credible, it is also sent to other numbers that are attached to the accounts where hackers manage to gain access.

How does this scheme work? 

Known as the “ballerina scam,” this scheme uses a believable story to convince users of the social network to click on a link that appears to be a vote for a children’s dance competition. The message usually comes from a known contact, which makes it even more dangerous, as it lowers users’ vigilance.

Beware of the "Vote for Sara" message! The fraudulent scheme that is
The page that appears after clicking the link sent to you on WhatsApp and asks you to vote

The user receives a message inviting them to click on an attached link, explaining that it is a dance competition for little girls, in which their niece is participating. The request is to vote for her, mentioning her name, in Albania's case as Sara.

Anyone who opens the link and the corresponding page actually opens the door for the virus: with just one click, the responsible hacker automatically manages to enter the WhatsApp profile, gaining access to contacts and conversations.

Shortly afterwards, the infected profile starts sending other malicious messages to his mobile contacts, in this case disguised as online games, which would also allow access to applications used for managing money and bank accounts. In this way, the scam spreads rapidly, creating a chain of victims.

In Italy, even mayors were deceived

In the province of Reggio Emilia in Italy, the fraud has affected dozens of people, including two mayors of the Val d'Enza area: Franco Palù, mayor of San Polo d'Enza, and Marcello Moretti, mayor of Sant'Ilario d'Enza. Mayor Franco Palù has also filed a criminal complaint with the Carabinieri.

What should you do?

Experts urge citizens not to open suspicious links, even when they come from known contacts, to always verify the content and activate the additional security measures offered by the application itself, or as it is otherwise called "two-step verification". Also, to verify how many devices the WhatsApp account is open on.

 

 

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