With many global elections occurring over the next 6 weeks, we’ve seen an increase in election-related scams targeting unsuspecting voters. A recent survey conducted by Norton⁴⁴ found that more than half of Americans have already been targeted by one of these scams, with younger voters being most likely to be targeted. These scams have become more sophisticated this election season with the improvements in AI.

What do you need to look out for? This year has seen an increase in AI-powered audio, images, and videos designed to sow confusion and cloud the political debate – like the deep fake images of Taylor Swift and Swifties supporting Donald Trump⁴⁵ and the fake AI audio endorsement of a Chinese-backed candidate in this year’s Taiwan elections⁴⁶. In addition, bad actors are also using impersonation scams and robocalls to spread misinformation to or direct voters to a fraudulent donation site. Finally, you should be on the lookout for calls and texts that question your voter registration status or change your voting location. 

Here are tips to protect yourself this and every election season:

• Wait before you share it. Make sure you check multiple sources before you share election focused memes, audio, video and social media posts
• If someone calls and claims you’re not registered to vote, do not share your personal information. Go to a trusted voter registration site and check your status.
• If you are considering donating to a campaign, do your research and confirm that it is a legitimate group.
• Don’t click on survey and poll links from unsolicited emails and texts.

Stay #CyberFlexed!