Online Scam Prevention for Fake Voting Links

When this applies

Use this online scam prevention walkthrough when a parent, grandparent or less technical relative receives a personal request to vote in a competition through an external link, especially one pointing to gimnastes.run. The message may say: “Please vote in this competition—the contestant is the daughter of my close friends,” followed by a link to gimnastes.run. The personal connection makes the request feel trustworthy, but it does not verify the website. Explain it simply: “The story may be designed to make you click before checking who sent it and where the link goes.”

Decision steps in order

1. Tell them not to click or reply. Ask them to leave the message open so you can review the sender and visible link together.
2. Verify the sender separately. Call the person using a phone number already saved in your contacts; do not use contact details supplied in the voting message.
3. Ask one direct question: “Did you personally send me a competition link using gimnastes.run?” A vague answer or no confirmation means the link should not be used.
4. Inspect the destination without opening it. Confirm whether the visible address is exactly gimnastes.run; this domain has no obvious connection to a known competition organizer in the message.
5. Delete and report the message if it cannot be verified. If your relative forwarded it, ask each recipient not to open the link.

What to do if you already responded

1. If you only replied, stop the conversation. Do not provide names, contact details, passwords or verification codes.
2. If you clicked but entered nothing, close the page. Do not return through the same message, even if it continues to request a vote.
3. If you entered a password, change it through the service’s official website. Change any other account using the same password and enable multi-factor authentication where available.
4. Save a screenshot of the message and domain, then report it. Tell the person whose identity or personal recommendation appeared in the request so they can warn others.

Most common warning signals

• The message asks the recipient to vote in a “competition” through an external link.
• It relies on the personal claim that the contestant is “the daughter of my close friends.”
• The visible link uses the domain gimnastes.run.
• The message gives no obvious trustworthy connection between gimnastes.run and a competition organizer.
• The request uses a personal recommendation to encourage immediate trust and action.

What to do now

1. Tell the recipient not to click the gimnastes.run link or reply to the message.
2. Call the apparent sender using a previously saved phone number.
3. Ask whether they personally sent the competition request and exact domain.
4. Delete and report the message if the sender cannot confirm it.
5. Change any password entered on the page and secure accounts that reused it.
6. Warn anyone to whom the message was forwarded.

Further reading

• Online Scam Prevention for Fake Insurance Payments
• High-Risk Screen Scam Guide 2026: Spot the Attachment and Fake Authority
• 2026 screen check: 3 warning signs before you send any money

FAQ