Let’s be honest. Political scam calls are alive and well. However, just because they are a sad reality does not mean that you have to be subject to them. If you are, it’s important to be able to properly identify these bad actors. According to aarp.org,
“consumers should be on the alert for bold scammers that government and industry experts say are increasingly using fake phone calls to prey on potential victims.” In doing so, you’ll protect both your identity and money.
In this article, we cover:
- The nature of political scam calls
- Why political scam calls happen
- How to protect yourself from political scam calls
The nature of political scam calls
AARP notes that con artists pretend to be volunteers and thus lure voters into giving money by either asking for it directly or requesting a credit card number. “Targets may be told that they can register to vote by phone, which is not permitted anywhere in the United States, if they supply a Social Security number. Scammers use analytics to target areas with a high concentration of older adults, such as Florida.” With that said, we can see that these bad actors tend to target older, more vulnerable adults. Ultimately, the tactics used are highly persuasive. The scam typically begins with an unidentified call and develops from there.
Why political scam calls happen
Political scams happen for a number of reasons, but they boil down to the nonconsensual acquisition of money. Firstorion.com notes that the goal of political scammers is to “coerce people into giving up personal information by pretending to be government officials. Here’s the thing – you can’t register to vote over the phone in any state. Scammers are counting on people to be confused by the election process, eager to register, and willing to give up their Social Security Numbers.” From donation scams to survey scams to voting by phone scams, scammers are relentless at baiting you into publicizing private and confidential information.
How to protect yourself from political scam calls
Blocking robocalls and scammers is YouMail’s #1 priority. YouMail protects consumers, enterprises, and carriers from harmful phone calls by answering billions of live calls, including those from political scammers. According to AARP, “the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security are investigating dozens of reported incidents. ‘Scammers are experts at social engineering and they can tell an incredibly convincing story,’’ says Jonathon Nelson, director of product management at Hiya, a worldwide caller ID company. ‘The best thing is to never give anything to someone over a phone call — information or money.’’”
If you’re ready to identify and block political scam calls during the midterm elections, sign up for a YouMail plan today.
