With the election coming up next week, Better Business Bureau is alerting consumers to several scams that play off the nonstop election hype dominating the airwaves, news and social media.
In some cases, scammers may think consumers who feel strongly about the election may be willing to part with sensitive personal information, which can open you up to the risk of fraudulent charges and even future identity theft. The prevalence of mass texts and robocalls from political campaigns means consumers are being bombarded with messages that may leave them vulnerable. For that reason, consumers should be aware that a call, text or email asking for their opinion may be the lead-in for fraud.
Several potential election-themed scams include:
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Campaign fundraising scam: Phone calls, texts and emails purporting to be from an election committee or political representative may seem legitimate if they know your political affiliation and their caller ID or sender name looks like it’s from a political organization. Before you donate, write down the contact information and research the organization online to confirm that it’s a legitimate organization. You may want to consider giving directly through an official website rather than on the phone, but make sure the page where you enter your credit card is secure.
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Voter registration scam: Claims that you need to register again for absentee ballots or if you haven’t voted since the last presidential election can…
