news

Don’t fall for these four common election frauds this season. What you need to know

Vaseline4 weeks ago

0 2 minutes read

Don’t fall for these four common election frauds this season. What you need to know

This month, early voting began in Ohio, and as the Nov. 5 Election Day approaches, election fraud, scams and cybercrime are on the rise, affecting unsuspecting victims.

Here are some of the most common types of election fraud voters should watch out for this election cycle.

Voter registration fraud

Voter registration scams occur when scammers contact you by phone, email, or in person, posing as election officials. According to the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS), the scammers will then ask you to update your voter registration or tell you that you can register to vote by phone to obtain your personal information.

If the communication is not from a state or local election official, or if you are asked to pay for your voter registration, it may be a scam. Victims are advised to report the scams, follow a fraud checklist and check their credit report if they have provided the scammers with personal information.

Political donation scams

Similar to voter registration scams, donation scams involve cybercriminals contacting you via phone, email, or social media, posing as a political action committee (PAC). NASS says this is to steal your money or personal information.

Signs of the scam include unexpected phone calls, an extreme sense of urgency to donate, asking for personal/financial information, or the website not providing contact information. If you shared or donated information, NASS encourages you to contact your bank or financial institution, report the scam and monitor your credit report for unusual activity.

Fake surveys and polls

The fake surveys/polls scam involves bad actors posing as a political volunteer seeking your participation in a survey/poll to collect personal and financial information (social security number, home address, etc.). “They ask questions about controversial topics to get you excited,” according to the National Association of Secretaries of State.

Additionally, they may “offer compensation/prizes for participating and ask you to purchase gift cards to account for shipping and/or taxes on the prize,” NASS notes. The agency says victims should report the scam, check your credit report and visit IdentityTheft.gov to create a recovery plan.

Robocall scams

Robocalls are automated calls that use a recording instead of a live person, often with the intent to defraud victims, such as in car warranty, tech support or IRS/Social Security impersonator scams, according to the Federal Trade Commission. “If the robocall is trying to sell you something, there’s a good chance it’s an illegal robocall,” the FTC said.

For those who receive robocalls, AARP suggests being skeptical and confirming whether the information is accurate. You can also file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission for unwanted robocalls and text messages.

USA TODAY offers tips on how to fake donations, spot fake news stories and look out for AI-generated deepfakes, images and videos.

Remaining voting dates in Ohio

October 29: Deadline for absentee ballot requests.
November 4: Absentee mail-in ballots returned must be postmarked no later than this day.
November 5: Election Day.
November 9: Ballots mailed on or before November 4 must arrive at election boards before this day in order to be counted.