Users in Uzbekistan are being targeted by a new scam involving fake online voting campaigns for the “best grandfather,” “best grandmother,” “best father” or “best mother.”

The scheme appears harmless at first. Victims receive a message asking them to support a participant in a supposed competition and cast a vote. The link leads to a website designed to look like a legitimate contest page, according to podrobno.uz.

After clicking the link, users are asked to authorize through Telegram. They may then be prompted to enter a verification code sent to their Telegram account.

That code must never be shared with anyone or entered on third-party websites. Once scammers obtain it, they can take control of the victim’s Telegram account and act on their behalf.

The next step is often targeting the victim’s contacts. Scammers may impersonate the account owner and urgently ask friends or relatives to transfer money.

Uzbekistan’s Cybersecurity Center warns that fake “voting” campaigns and online contests are increasingly being used as bait to gain access to users’ accounts. The key rule is simple: never enter Telegram verification codes on external websites or share them with anyone-even if the link appears to have come from someone you know.