Global Fraud Network Targets Election Commissions in 27 Nations
A massive investigation has exposed a sophisticated global fraudulent network responsible for thousands of fake websites, including 75 pages masquerading as official recruitment portals for National Election Commissions (CNE) in 27 countries.
The network targeted election bodies in Portugal, Angola, Cape Verde, and Guinea-Bissau, among others. By usurping official identities and logos, the scammers created a facade of legitimacy to lure unsuspecting job seekers into a scheme involving data harvesting and predatory advertising.
The “Official” Portal Trap
The investigation began when a journalism intern at Lusa Verifica flagged a suspicious “official recruitment portal” for the Portuguese CNE. Hosted on Google’s Blogger platform, the site featured the commission’s actual logo and a form demanding sensitive personal information, including names, phone numbers, emails, and dates of birth.
The scam was sophisticated. If a user tried to back out of the site, a redirection system forced them toward a specific short link. While the Portuguese page was even promoted through brief Facebook ads originating from a suspicious account in Nigeria, the investigation soon revealed that this was just the tip of the iceberg.
A Global Web of Deception
By analyzing source code and digital footprints, investigators uncovered a sprawling network of more than 70 profiles on Blogger and GitHub. These accounts were responsible for approximately 2,200 fraudulent web addresses. Notable findings include:
- 75 fake recruitment pages for election commissions across 27 nations, including South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, and Zambia.
- Phishing and Ad-Revenue Tactics: While some pages sought to steal personal data, others functioned as “malvertising” hubs. After “registering,” users were redirected to online marketplaces like AliExpress and Shein, prompted to install specific browsers, or tricked into signing up for paid telecommunications services.
- Shared Infrastructure: Portugal’s National Cybersecurity Center (CNCS) confirmed that these sites share “transversal technical patterns,” suggesting they are operated by the same organized group.
Authorities Caught Off Guard
When contacted by Lusa Verifica, the Portuguese National Election Commission admitted it was entirely unaware of the fraudulent site. Spokesperson André Wemans clarified that the CNE only recruits through official government channels, such as its institutional website or the Public Employment Exchange (BEP).
“Appropriate measures have already been taken, specifically with the CNCS, to remove the content,” Wemans stated. Following the inquiry, several of the identified pages were taken down, though hundreds of others remain active.
A Silent Response from Tech Giants
Despite providing Google (the owner of Blogger) with a comprehensive list of fraudulent profiles that clearly violate the platform’s content policies, Lusa received no response, and many of the profiles remain online. Similar warnings have been issued by fact-checking projects in Angola and by Africa Check, though the sheer scale of the network—spanning 2,200 links—had not been previously documented.
Lusa Verifica has announced it will share its database and archive with international fact-checking organizations to help combat this ongoing global fraud.
Verdict: FALSE. The Portuguese National Election Commission did not launch a recruitment portal on Blogger. The site was part of a massive, international fraudulent network designed to harvest data and generate illicit advertising revenue.
Image: Pexels – Markus Winkler
