Scammers continue to target voters ahead of the U.S. midterm elections, Malwarebytes reports. The scams arrive via text message, email, or phone call, offering to help users register to vote, asking them to take a survey, or soliciting donations. The scams are designed to steal money, personal information, or credentials.
Malwarebytes observed one campaign targeting users in Minnesota, offering to add them to an absentee voter list. The link in the message takes the user to a website that asks for their personal information, which can be used to launch additional scams.
“The message is a scam, though it borrows the language of a real Minnesota voting service,” the researchers write. “Minnesota does have a permanent absentee voter list, but the link in this text is fraudulent. To check or sign up, go directly to your election authority’s official website. Other messages take the opposite approach: instead of offering convenience, they warn that you could lose your chance to vote. A message might say you are not registered to vote, your details are incomplete, or your registration is about to be cancelled. Then it offers a link to sort everything out.”
Other scams take a more threatening approach, warning users that they must pay a fine or click on a link to report for election duty.
Malwarebytes outlines the following advice to help users avoid falling for these scams:
- “Go directly to official election websites to check registration, voting requirements, deadlines, and alleged penalties.
- Verify donation requests independently. Find the campaign or organization yourself and confirm where your money will go.
- Keep payment details out of unsolicited surveys. A political poll that turns into a request to pay for a prize is a red flag.
- Check sellers before buying political merchandise. A candidate’s name or logo does not authenticate the shop.
- Don’t mistake personal details for proof. A message can contain accurate information about you and still be a scam.
- Keep political choices separate from requests for money or personal information. You can support a cause without responding to an unexpected message.”
Malwarebytes has the story: https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/scams/2026/10/five-election-scams-to-watch-out-for
