Lincoln and Lancaster Country residents should be on the lookout for political scams as the midterm elections approach. Josh Planos, Vice President of Communications and Public Relations at the Better Business Bureau, spoke with KLIN News and said that scammers prey on emotion, and there are fewer times where people get as emotional as during elections. And with more avenues than ever to communicate with people, scammers can reach the masses at an alarming rate.
“It’s never been easier to get in touch with folks about what their political ideology is and how they want to support their candidates,” said Planos. “Because of that, in the lead-up to an election, there’s always going to be an increase in communication, whether it be SMS messaging, email messaging, or phone call messaging. It’s a fantastic opportunity for a scammer to infiltrate this market and act as though they’re trying to be a part of that conversation when in reality, they’re trying to gain access to personal and payment information.”
There are some red flags that people can look out for. For one thing, eligible voters usually need to opt in to be a part of a newsletter or donation platform. “Typically,” said Planos, “any sort of unsolicited communication is something that you should tread carefully with. There is not really a realistic situation in which that would be appropriate.”
Planos urges voters to do their research and pay attention to any email addresses or phone numbers in emails, texts, or calls they receive. A more comprehensive list of tips against political scams can be found at the Better Business Bureau website.