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# WhatsApp Vote Scam Targets Catalan Users
- URL: https://barna.news/whatsapp-vote-scam-targets-catalan-users/
- Published: 2026-10-21T12:55:22.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-21T12:55:43.000Z
- Description: A phishing scam impersonating friends' requests to vote for a child in a ballet contest is stealing WhatsApp accounts across Catalonia.
- Author: Barna.News
- Tags: crime, Catalonia

## How the Sophie WhatsApp Scam Works

On Tuesday 20th October 2026 and into Wednesday 21st October, a new wave of WhatsApp scams began spreading rapidly across Catalonia. The message appears to come from a trusted contact, asking the recipient to vote for a young girl named Sophie or Eliska in a children's ballet competition, with the promise of a scholarship and stage performance. The request includes a link to vote, but clicking it leads to a fraudulent website designed to steal WhatsApp account access. The scam relies on social trust. When a user clicks the link, they are prompted to enter their phone number and complete a verification process, such as scanning a QR code or entering a code sent by SMS. If completed, cybercriminals gain control of the victim's WhatsApp account and use it to send the same message to all their contacts, multiplying the attack.

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## Official Warnings and Response

The Catalan Cybersecurity Agency and the Spanish National Cybersecurity Institute (INCIBE) have confirmed they are monitoring the scam. According to [ElCaso.com](https://elcaso.elnacional.cat/es/tecnologia/estafa-whatsapp-sophie-pedir-voto-control-movil%5F1712725102.html?ref=barna.news), the fraudulent messages began circulating intensively on Tuesday afternoon and continued into Wednesday morning. The scam operates entirely through WhatsApp and arrives in Spanish, with multiple text variations.

> "Hi! Would you like to help Sophie, a friend's daughter, with a vote? She's participating in a competition where she could win a scholarship and a spot to perform on stage."

This message, accompanied by a malicious link, is being forwarded by compromised accounts.

### What to Do If You Receive the Message

- Do not click the link or enter your phone number.
- Do not forward the message.
- Contact the sender through another channel (e.g. phone call) to warn them their account may be compromised.
- If you have already clicked the link, check your WhatsApp for unknown linked devices and log them out immediately.

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## How to Protect Your Account

Security experts recommend activating two-step verification in WhatsApp to prevent unauthorised access. To do this:

- Open WhatsApp, go to Settings > Account > Two-step verification.
- Set a six-digit PIN.
- Add a recovery email address to reset the PIN if forgotten.

This adds a critical layer of protection, making it harder for scammers to take over your account even if they obtain a verification code. Stealing a WhatsApp account allows criminals to impersonate victims, request money from contacts under false pretences, and harvest personal data from private conversations. Because messages come from known numbers, they are more likely to be trusted, accelerating the scam’s spread.

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*Reported by elcaso.elnacional.cat, Guillem RS, larazon.es, M.BO (avec HLN, incibe.es, telecinco.es, El Caso (El Nacional).*