• Scammers target voters with fake registrations, surveys and donation requests.
• Scams often involve pressure tactics and requests for personal financial information.
• Check voter registration information with official state sources to avoid falling for them.

It’s almost time for the 2024 presidential electionand the scammers are out in force.

The three most common scams around elections are voter registration scamspolls and fake polls and political donation scams, experts say.

In all of these scams, the National Association of Secretaries of State says the scammers generally contact potential victims by phone or email, pretending to be a legitimate entity such as a political action committee or state agency.

The best way to detect voter fraud in any of these cases is to stop and see if the person contacting you is asking for your personal financial information. If they are, it’s probably a scam.

Other signs that a donation request from a PAC might be fake are if they push you to donate quickly or if the website doesn’t provide contact information, NASS says.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, scammers commonly use “pressure” to get victims into uncomfortable situations. They will use phrases like “act now!” to introduce an element of time so that you don’t have time to think about your actions.

“Pressuring you to act now is always a sign of a scam,” says the FTC.

Fake surveys and polls that exploit people’s heightened emotions during election season are also common, NASS says. Signs that a poll or survey might be fake are if it offers compensation or prizes for participation, or if it asks about controversial topics “to piss you off.”

To spot a fake voter registration message, check to make sure the information you’re receiving is from your state or local election official, the agency says. Another common sign that a voter registration message might be a scam is if the message says you have to pay to complete voter registration.

The FTC recommends reporting any unsolicited texts or calls from someone who says they need your Social Security number or financial information to register to vote. If you think you might be the victim of a scam, you can visit The FTC’s Identity Theft Recovery Page to report fraud.

To register to vote or find out if your Social Security number is required for voter registration in your state, the FTC says to contact your local elections office or check the US Election Assistance Commission’s National Voter. Registration form.