Did you get a text message saying you aren’t registered to vote? It could be a scam.
Voter registration fraud is one of the three most common scams during an election cycle, alongside cons involving political donations and fake polls, according to the National Association of Secretaries of State. Scammers typically contact victims by phone, text, or email — and sometimes in person — to say they need personal information to update voter registration forms.
In Shasta County, California, the county clerk and election officials warned last week that a text message asking recipients to click a link to register to vote was a scam. Officials said clicking the link could trigger malware and put the victim’s personal information at risk.
On the other side of the country, election officials in Lake County, Florida, issued a similar warning in March. County Supervisor Alan Hays told residents to “be vigilant this election cycle for political scams that can mislead unsuspecting individuals into a frightful experience that can be difficult to overcome,” local media reported.
Clerks in Salt Lake City and San Francisco have issued similar warnings as well.
The National Association of Secretaries of State says voters should check to see if the communication is coming from local or state election officials and be wary if anyone asks for payment to complete voter registration documents.
The Federal Trade Commission recommends reporting any unsolicited texts or calls from someone who says they need your Social Security number or personal or financial information to register you to vote. If you send your personal information to someone you don’t know and think you may be the victim of a scam, you can visit the FTC’s identity theft recovery page to report the fraud.
The FTC recommends contacting your local election office or checking the US Election Assistance Commission’s National Voter Registration Form to determine whether your state requires your Social Security number for voter registration.
