The ‘Vote for My Child’ WhatsApp Scam Is Back, Spreading in France, Belgium and Spain

Remember the “vote for my child” scam on WhatsApp? It’s making the rounds again, with a fresh wave reported in France and similar cases flagged by media outlets in Belgium and Spain.

French cybersecurity authorities say reports appear to have increased substantially since the weekend. The scam typically starts with a message from someone you know, including a friend, family member or colleague asking for a quick favor:

“Hi, could you vote for my friend’s daughter in a contest?”

Here is a reminder of how the scam works and how you can stay safe.

Key takeaways

• A message from a known contact is not automatically trustworthy: their WhatsApp account may have been compromised.
• Fake children’s competitions are used to trick people into giving away access to their WhatsApp account.
• Never enter or share a WhatsApp verification code, and do not approve a login or linked device you didn’t initiate.
• Criminals can use a hijacked account to spread the scam, request urgent bank transfers, and delete messages afterwards.
• Enable WhatsApp two-step verification and independently confirm unusual requests—even when they appear to come from someone you know.

A new wave of a familiar scam

This is not a new tactic. Last October, during Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we published an extensive report on the “Vote for My Child” scam, which had been spreading across Europe through hundreds of fraudulent domains and URLs.

Last year, Bitdefender Labs observed the campaign spreading most heavily in Poland, Romania and Germany, with additional activity in the Czech Republic, Italy and Austria. The scam also had a smaller but notable presence in Spain, the UK, the United States and Kazakhstan.

What makes it so convincing is that it doesn’t start with an obvious scam. There is no alarming security warning, no prize, and no immediate demand for money. It’s simply framed as a small favor from someone you know.

How the WhatsApp ‘vote’ scam now spreading in France, Belgium and Spain works

The first message is often sent from the account of a friend, relative or colleague who has already fallen victim to the scam.

According to new reports, it may mention a child called Sophie, Eliska or another name, and link to what looks like a dance, gymnastics or school competition. "It seems to have increased a lot since the weekend," Jérôme Notin, director general of Cybermalveillance, told AFP.

After you click the link, you are taken to a convincing-looking contest site. It may feature photographs of children, fake vote totals, prizes or a prominent “Vote” button.

To continue, the website may ask you to enter your phone number and a six-digit WhatsApp verification code sent to your phone. Other variants may prompt you to approve a new login or link an unfamiliar device to your WhatsApp account.

That code or approval is not needed to vote. It allows criminals to connect their own device to your WhatsApp account.

Once they have access, they can:

• Send the same fraudulent contest message to your contacts
• Pose as you and make urgent requests for money
• Claim they need an immediate bank transfer because they can’t pay for a medical consultation or another urgent expense
• Delete the messages after sending them, making it harder for the legitimate account owner to notice what happened

That last point is particularly important. A compromised account can remain a “dormant” threat: the owner may not realize it has been accessed, while criminals use it selectively to target contacts at the most convincing moment.

One user told AFP that several contacts had received urgent transfer requests apparently sent from his account, claiming he could not afford a medical consultation.

WhatsApp itself warns that a suspicious message from a contact can indicate that the person’s account has been compromised.

The prevalence of the scam in recent reports reminds us that criminals reuse the same effective tactic, localize it with new names and contest themes, and spread it into new communities and countries.

What to do if you receive a voting request

Don’t click the link simply because it came from somebody you know. Contact them through a phone call or another channel and ask whether they really sent it.

You can also check a suspicious URL with Bitdefender Link Checker, or share the message, link or screenshot with Bitdefender Scamio before taking any action.

Most importantly, never share a WhatsApp verification code with anyone. Treat it like a password: it is for you alone.

How to protect your WhatsApp account

Turn on two-step verification in WhatsApp. This adds a PIN that helps protect your account if somebody tries to register your number on another device.

Also make it a habit to check Linked Devices in WhatsApp’s settings. If you see a browser, computer or device you don’t recognize, log it out immediately.

If you think your account has been compromised:

1. Request a new WhatsApp verification code and sign back in to your account
2. Remove unknown sessions under Settings → Linked Devices
3. Enable two-step verification if you haven’t done so already
4. Tell your contacts that suspicious messages may have been sent from your account
5. If someone sent money after receiving a fraudulent request in your name, encourage them to contact their bank immediately

Stay ahead of scam waves

Scams often return because criminals know the formula works. They change the child’s name, the fake contest, the country or the link, but the goal remains the same: turn trust between friends and family into access to an account and potential fraud.

Bitdefender security solutions come with extensive Scam Protection that helps block dangerous links before they lead to a fraudulent website. Scam Radar can also alert you to scam campaigns actively spreading in your area, helping you recognize a threat before it reaches your inbox or WhatsApp chats.

A quick pause is often all it takes: verify the request independently, never hand over a code, and remember that even a familiar name can be used to deliver a scam.

You may also want to read: ‘Vote for Me’ Instagram Scam: How Familiar Faces Are Being Used to Steal Your Account