US election scams: what they are and a 5-minute way to stay safe

The short version: Before the US midterm elections on Tuesday 3 November 2026, some people send fake texts, emails, calls and web pages about voting and donations. They want your money or your personal details. Do not use a link in a message you did not expect. Type the official website yourself.

What is an election scam?

A scam is a trick to get your money or your personal details.

The message may say it is from a campaign, a donation group or an election office. An election office is the government office that runs voting.

The FBI says scammers copy the names, images, logos and slogans of candidates. It also says they use AI tools to make voices, images and messages that seem real. AI, short for artificial intelligence, means computer tools that can make voices, pictures and messages that look and sound human-made. The FBI says these fakes can pretend to be candidates, campaigns, government offices or people you know.

Why it matters now

The FBI warned on 15 October 2026 that scammers could use the US midterm elections to commit fraud. Midterm elections are the elections halfway between presidential elections. The FBI describes these as money and identity fraud schemes.

Four common tricks

• A fake “check your voter registration” message. A text or email says you are not registered. It sends you to a fake page that asks for personal details. The FBI says this can lead to identity theft (when someone uses your details to pretend to be you).
• A fake donation request. The message pretends to be a campaign or a political action committee. That is a group that raises money for campaigns. The money goes to the scammer. Some messages promise a guaranteed return on your gift. The FBI says a donation is not an investment. It will not grow or be returned.
• A fake call or voice message. The caller says they are from an election office, a campaign or the government. The voice may be made by AI. The FBI says law enforcement and government authorities will never call or text to demand payment or to ask for personal or sensitive information.
• A look-alike website. The web address is almost the same as the real one. The FBI gives one example: “.com” instead of “.gov” at the end of the address. Some real election offices do not use .gov (for example, the District of Columbia’s is dcboe.org). So do not use .gov as your only test. Reach your office through vote.gov that you typed yourself, or through the USAGov list below.

Safe habits

• Do not click a link in a message you did not expect. Do not give personal details to someone you do not know.
• To check your registration, type vote.gov yourself. It sends you to your state’s election website.
• To give money, type the campaign’s own web address. Do not use a link from a text, email or post. The FBI also says you can look up a political group on the Federal Election Commission site first. A group can look real on that site, so do not rely on that check alone.
• If a call or text that says it is from the government asks for money or personal details, hang up. Find the official phone number yourself. Do not use a number the caller gave you.

If you got a message like this

Do not reply. If you lost money, tell your bank or card company right away.

• US: report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FBI also asks people to report election scams at ic3.gov.
• UK readers: this alert is about US elections, so you can skip the US parts above. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, report scams to Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud) at reportfraud.police.uk. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.

Do this today (about 5 minutes)

1. On your phone or computer, type vote.gov into the address bar (the box where you type a web address). Choose your state. It sends you to your state’s official election website, where you can check that you are registered to vote. Your state’s official election site may ask for details such as your name, address or date of birth. Some states also ask for an ID number or the last four digits of your Social Security number. Enter details only on your state’s official site, which you reach from vote.gov that you typed yourself or from the USAGov list below. If you would rather not type them, call your election office instead, using the number on its official page.
2. Open usa.gov/state-election-office. Pick your state. Save your state or local election office website as a bookmark (a saved shortcut in your browser).

Next time a message talks about voting, use your bookmark and not the link in the message.

You should not need a password, a code or a card number to check your registration or find your election office. If a page asks for one, stop and close it. Go to vote.gov again by typing it yourself.

Checked: 27 Oct 2026. Our disclosure: SafeinAI has no affiliate links on this page and earns nothing from it. This page takes no side in any election.