Election Scam: Is It a Scam?
During election seasons, scammers launch fake voter registration drives, fraudulent political donation pages, and robocalls spreading disinformation designed to suppress votes or steal personal information.
How This Scam Works
Scammers create fake voter registration websites that collect personal information including Social Security numbers, birthdates, and addresses. Phishing emails impersonate political campaigns or party committees requesting donations through fake payment pages. Robocalls spread false information about voting dates, locations, or eligibility to suppress voter turnout. Text messages claim there is a problem with your voter registration and direct you to a phishing site. Some scams sell fake political merchandise that never arrives.
Red Flags to Watch For
- Voter registration sites not on a .gov domain
- Donation requests from email addresses that do not match official campaign domains
- Calls or texts claiming your voter registration has been cancelled
- Voter registration should never require your full SSN
- Texts with incorrect polling location or election date information
Example Scam Messages
What to Do If You Received This
- Register to vote only at vote.gov or your state election website
- Donate to campaigns only through their official websites
- Verify election information at eac.gov or your local board of elections
- Ignore texts claiming your registration has been cancelled
- Report election disinformation to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
What to Do If You Fell For It
- If you shared personal info, place a fraud alert on your credit
- Contact your bank if you made a payment on a fake site
- Check your voter registration status at vote.gov
- Report to your state election board
- File an identity theft report at identitytheft.gov if your SSN was shared
How to Report This Scam
- Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- File a complaint with FBI IC3 at ic3.gov
- Report election scams to your state attorney general
- Report to CISA at cisa.gov/report
- Forward scam texts to 7726 (SPAM)
Last updated: February 10, 2026