The Malta Police Force on Tuesday issued a warning to the public concerning a fraudulent scam currently circulating via WhatsApp.

In recent weeks, many people have received messages from their own contacts asking them to click a link to vote for someone in an online competition. The police are strongly advising the public not to click on or activate these links. Once a user clicks the link, the scammers can gain unauthorized access to the victim's WhatsApp account.

From there, the attackers send messages to the victim's contacts, requesting urgent financial help or asking for money transfers under false pretenses. Because these messages appear to come from a trusted contact, recipients often believe they are genuine and are more likely to fall victim to the fraud.

The police are urging everyone to take precautions by never clicking on suspicious links for online competitions, remaining cautious even when messages appear to come from friends or family, and always verifying any request for money by contacting the person directly via a phone call or other secure means before sending funds.

f you suspect your WhatsApp account has been compromised, you should immediately log out of all linked devices, review your security settings, enable two-step verification, and notify your contacts.

Anyone who has become a victim of this scam or has transferred money as a result is encouraged to report the incident at their nearest police station or online via the official police website. The Malta Police Force remains committed to protecting the public from online fraud and encourages everyone to stay vigilant, think twice before clicking on unexpected links, and verify any suspicious requests before taking action.