# Salzburg Police Warn of New WhatsApp Scam October 2, 2026 at 03:09 PM > Authorities alert the public after criminals hijack WhatsApp accounts through fake dance contests to solicit fraudulent money transfers. The **Salzburg State Police Directorate** issued a warning on Thursday, **October 1, 2026**, regarding a new [WhatsApp]() scam. Criminals are sending messages from hijacked accounts, inviting contacts to participate in a fake dance voting contest to steal accounts. Recipients are directed to a fake platform to vote for a young dancer, where they must enter their phone number and a confirmation code or scan a QR code. This allows perpetrators to seize control of the account and target the victim's stored contacts. Hijacked accounts are used to request urgent money transfers, often citing fake dentist bills. Police advise never sharing confirmation codes and verifying any financial requests through a different communication channel before reporting fraud to authorities. #WhatsAppScam [#CyberCrime]() #SalzburgPolice #OnlineSafety #FraudAlert ## Related news ## [Operation Herakles Disables 13,888 Fraud Lines]() September 25, 2026 at 04:48 PM