With Election Day just two weeks away, there's more than just candidates vying for your attention.
Over half of Americans have already been targeted by election-related scams, according to a survey conducted by Norton. Younger voters are being targeted the most — with fake polls, donation scams and disinformation.
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"The human eye is no longer enough to detect these scams," said Karin Zilberstein, vice president of product at cybersecurity company Guardio.
Zilberstein said political donation scams are popular this election cycle. Scammers prey on people's desire to be heard and end up stealing more than just personal information.
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"It's a very painful scam because it touches our pockets," she explained. "People want to make an impact and donate to their candidates or their political party. And often the donations do not go to where they claim they go, or if they do, it might involve recurring charges."
Election survey scams are also making the rounds. That's when a random person or organization contacts you and ask for information about your vote.
"You'd receive an email or a text message asking about your political views or how you stand on specific election-related topics. And this information can be later used by scammers and hackers in later phishing campaigns. So, any information that somebody would provide can be later used to gain their trust into further communication," Zilberstein said.
Voters should also remain on alert for impersonation scams and robocalls. Scammers could use fake audio to spread misinformation to or direct voters to a fraudulent donation site.
"Those calls that people are receiving should be taken with a grain of salt. There is no guarantee that the person who is calling is actually who they claim to be," according to Zilberstein.
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There'll be a lot of disinformation the next couple of weeks so make sure to always verify sources. Check the credibility of the information you receive before accepting them as true.
If you're considering donating to a political campaign, research the organization first. Legitimate groups will provide clear information on how that money will be used.
And if someone claims you're not registered to vote and offers to register you by phone, hang up immediately. You can only register online, by mail or in person at a local election office. Head to vote.gov to check your voter registration status or see if your ballot has gone through.
"Everything that comes your way should be treated with care," said Zilberstein. "Don't click any suspicious links and don't provide personal information that might later be used against you."
Education will be critical these next couple of weeks, so talk to your friends and family about the clever tactics scammers are using this election cycle. And if you encounter a potential scam, make sure to report it to the appropriate authorities.
