As election day November 5 approaches, estimates of campaign spending are staggering. The election ad tracking group AdImpact estimates that the 2023-24 election cycle will be the most expensive of all time, topping off at more than 10 billion dollars.
This climate is ripe for grifters who sniff out opportunities to scam innocent citizens. These scammers don’t want your vote. They want your money.
KSFR’s Mary Lou Cooper talked about election scams with Steven Weisman, a white-collar crime professor at Bentley University in Massachusetts and publisher of the on-line newsletter “Scamicide.” Weisman recently penned the article “Election Season is Scam Season” for the Saturday Evening Post.
Election scams outlined by Weisman include:
- Phony Political Action Committees (PACs) with fraudsters who pretend to be collecting donations for candidates like Trump or Harris but are pocketing the money for themselves. Tip: if they’re legitimate, PACs must ask you for your job status (no federal contractors allowed) and citizenship.
- Unsolicited robo calls seeking contributions from candidates using their “own” voices. Tip: such calls may be generated by artificial intelligence. If the calls come in on your cell phone or via text, they’re in violation of federal law unless you have pre-approved them.
- Calls claiming to be from your county clerk’s office asking you to re-register to vote over the phone…and provide personal information such as your Social Security number or credit card information. Tip: election officials will not ask you to register over the phone.
- Fake pollster calls soliciting your opinions on issues or candidates…and offer you a gift card or payment for taking the time to participate. Tip: such calls are phony, and the caller will ask for personal information that can be used in identity theft or other financial scams.
