BBB: Watch out for election-related scams
August 14, 2012
By Rita R. Robison
Scammers are already gearing up for this year’s presidential election, from robocalls offering a “free cruise” for taking a political survey, to promises that President Obama will pay your utility bill.
The Better Business Bureau is advising voters to be on the lookout for the growing number of scams that are likely to continue leading up to the presidential election.
“Scammers use incentives based on what they think voters want to hear,” Jane Driggs, president of the Utah Better Business Bureau, said in a statement. “Hot topics like health care, economic recovery, and unemployment are sure to be the alluring topics this election season, but it can be anything in the news that makes the pitch sound more realistic.”
These are a few of the election-related scams BBB is hearing about. Don’t fall for them.
There won’t be a “free cruise” at the end of the voting survey.
This public opinion poll scam typically involves a recorded announcement offering a “free cruise” in exchange for participating in a telephone survey.
At the end of the call, consumers are asked for a debit or credit card number to cover “port fees” and taxes. Consumers who hesitate or ask if they can call back in order to verify the caller’s identity are subject to high-pressure tactics, such as being told that the offer “is only good right now,” and that if they hang up they will be disqualified.
President Obama isn’t going to pay your utility bill.
Consumers have been contacted through fliers, social media, text messages, and door-to-door with claims that President Obama is providing credits or applying payments to utility bills. Scammers claim they need the consumers' Social Security and bank routing numbers to arrange the payments. In return, customers are given a phony bank routing number that will supposedly pay their utility bills.
In reality, no money is provided, and customers believe they have paid their bills when in fact they haven’t. Even worse, they’ve given away everything needed for identity fraud.
Fundraising calls for political donations may not be real.
Consumers have reported calls from organizations that sound legitimate, but may not really be related to either the Obama or Romney campaigns. If you aren’t sure, don’t donate over the phone. If you’d like to contribute to a political campaign or party, locate contact information yourself rather than giving out financial information to a caller. Requesting a callback number is no guarantee you will be connected with a legitimate campaign fundraising committee.
Call or visit candidates’ websites to obtain contact information to make donation. No one will check your eligibility to vote. Your voter registration record is with a governmental agency and no one is going to call or email you to verify your eligibility. What do these callers claim they need to check? Just your credit card or Social Security number.
Don’t fall for these scams. Legitimate polling companies will never offer prizes for participating in a telephone survey, nor ask for a credit card number.
Never provide your Social Security number, credit card number, or banking information to anyone requesting it over the phone or at your home unless you initiated the contact and feel confident with whom you are speaking. Don’t give in to high-pressure tactics, whether over the phone or in person.
To find out information about a company, see the BBB’s website www.bbb.org.
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