Isabella Carter
A political call is a phone call made by a political campaign or group, party, or organization to voters to inform, influence opinions, or encourage individuals to take specific actions, such as voting for a candidate or supporting a policy. These calls are designed to raise awareness about key issues, mobilize like-minded voters, and gather opinions. They are a direct line of communication between candidates and voters and can be either automated or live, targeting specific types of voters or demographics. Live calls, made by real people, are more common and are designed to be persuasive and interactive, while automated calls use recorded messages. Political calls are exempt from National Do Not Call Registry requirements but must follow specific rules under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To inspire action, sometimes by inciting panic or anxiety, and usually by citing consequences |
| Mode | Calls or text messages |
| Frequency | Multiple calls from different numbers |
| Caller ID | "Political Call" |
| Legality | Legal if they follow certain rules |
| Scamming Techniques | Asking for personal information, donations, or credit card details |
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What You'll Learn
Political phone scams
Scammers use various tactics to trick people into providing sensitive information or donating money. One common scam involves convincing people that they can register to vote by supplying personal details over the phone, such as their Social Security number. However, it's important to know that in the United States, you cannot vote by phone, and any call or text requesting your vote along with personal information is a scam.
Another scam involves impersonating candidates or creating realistic recordings of their voices to solicit donations. Additionally, scammers may pose as polling companies, offering prizes or compensation for participating in political surveys. They then request credit card information to cover shipping costs, luring individuals into sharing financial details.
To protect yourself from political phone scams, it's crucial to be vigilant and familiarise yourself with legitimate political calls and texts. Legitimate political communication is usually informative, such as providing information about ballots for an upcoming election. Remember, scammers may manipulate the caller ID to appear as a local number or a generic "Political Call". Therefore, don't rely solely on the caller ID to determine the legitimacy of a call. If you receive a suspicious call, hang up immediately and report it to the relevant authorities.
To summarise, political phone scams are a serious issue, especially during election seasons. Scammers use deceptive tactics to solicit donations or personal information. By staying informed, vigilant, and cautious, you can help protect yourself and others from falling victim to these scams.
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Voter registration and voting scams
Political calls are often made by political campaigns to their supporters asking for donations. Scammers can take advantage of this and impersonate a political campaign phone number through a tactic known as "spoofing". Scammers may also pose as volunteers to convince victims to donate money.
Scammers also take advantage of the election season, which sees an increase in surveys and polls, to collect personally identifiable information (PII). They may offer fake compensation or prizes for participation and then ask their victims for a credit card number to process bogus shipping charges or taxes.
Voter Registration Scams
Scammers may contact victims claiming that they can vote by phone, email, or text when they cannot. They may also try to convince victims that they are not registered to vote and offer to register them over the phone. In the US, you can typically only register to vote online, by mail, or in person at your local election office. If you receive a text or email with a link for voter registration, be wary as those links may be a ploy to collect your personal data.
Voting Scams
Scammers may claim to be from a government entity and offer an absentee ballot for people who cannot or do not want to get to the polls on Election Day. They may also conduct fake election surveys and ask for personal information such as credit card details, date of birth, or social security number.
How to Protect Yourself
- Do not rely on Caller ID as scammers can "spoof" the phone number of a legitimate business.
- Never give out personal information or credit card information to anyone calling you, especially if they claim you can win a prize.
- Voter registration and voting in any election cannot occur over the phone.
- If you believe you have been the victim of an election-related scam, contact your state and local election officials.
- Report election scams to the Office of Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection or file a complaint online.
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Legitimate political calls
Political calls are a common occurrence, especially during election seasons. While some political calls are legitimate, many are scams designed to trick unsuspecting individuals. Legitimate political calls are those that are permitted by law and follow certain rules. These include calls from actual campaigns, nonprofit groups, or government agencies. Here are some things to know about legitimate political calls:
First and foremost, it is important to understand that political calls to mobile phones generally require prior consent. This means that a political campaign must have your consent to contact you on your mobile device, unless they manually dial your number to send a text message. This consent is not required for landlines, and political calls to landlines are allowed without prior consent, but there are exceptions. For example, political robocalls made to residential landlines without prior consent are limited to no more than three calls within any consecutive 30-day period.
Additionally, legitimate political calls are typically informative in nature. They may provide information about upcoming elections, such as the date and location of polling stations, or inform you about a ballot you should have received in the mail. These calls are not designed to inspire panic or anxiety and will not ask for your credit card number, Social Security number, or other personal information. If a call is asking for such information, it is likely a scam.
It's also important to be aware of common political phone scams. These scams often take the form of robocalls or automated text messages and may try to convince you that you can register to vote or vote by providing personal information over the phone. It is important to know that, in the U.S., you cannot vote by phone, and any call or text message suggesting otherwise is a scam. Scammers may also pose as political volunteers seeking donations, so be cautious when providing personal or financial information.
To protect yourself from political phone scams, familiarize yourself with the FCC's guidelines for political calls and texts. If you receive a call or text that does not comply with these rules, you can lodge a complaint with the FCC. Additionally, consider using a paid service for filtering calls, such as those offered by AT&T/Verizon or RoboKiller, to reduce the number of unwanted political calls you receive.
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Caller ID spoofing
To protect yourself from caller ID spoofing scams, it is recommended to be vigilant and familiarise yourself with legitimate political robocalls and texts. Legitimate calls or texts are typically informative and do not ask for personal information or donations. Additionally, never give out personal information, such as account numbers, Social Security numbers, or passwords, in response to unexpected calls or if you suspect any suspicious activity. If you receive a call or text that does not comply with the rules and guidelines set by the FCC (Federal Communications Commission), you can lodge a complaint.
While spoofing is often associated with scams and illegal activities, it is important to note that spoofing is not always illegal. There are legitimate and legal uses for spoofing, such as when a doctor calls a patient from their personal mobile phone and displays the office number instead. Additionally, a business may display its toll-free call-back number, which can be considered a form of spoofing. However, illegal spoofing can result in penalties of up to $10,000 for each violation.
To combat neighbour spoofing, where the scammer uses a similar phone number to the recipient's to increase the likelihood of the call being answered, the FCC is requiring the phone industry to implement a robust caller ID authentication system. This system aims to help identify and block spoofed calls before they reach the recipient. Additionally, several phone companies and app developers offer call-blocking and labelling services that use analytics to detect whether a call is likely to be fraudulent. Consumers can also utilise services that screen or block spoofed calls, although these services may have limited operating hours.
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How to stop receiving political calls
Political calls are automated or manual messages sent by political organizations to ask for your vote or money. While some of these calls are legitimate, many are scams that try to trick you into giving up your personal information or donating money.
If you are tired of receiving political calls, here are some ways to stop them:
- Register your number: In some countries, you can register your number on a "Do Not Call" list to opt out of receiving unsolicited telemarketing calls. However, note that this might not always be effective in stopping political calls, as they are often exempt from National Do Not Call Registry requirements.
- Reply "STOP": For legitimate text campaigns, replying "STOP" to the message should remove you from their list. You can also report unsolicited messages as spam by forwarding them to 7726 (or "SPAM").
- File a complaint: If you believe you have received a political call or text that does not comply with the rules, you can file an informal complaint with the relevant authorities, such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States.
- Use a call-blocking service: Consider using a call-and-text-blocking app, such as Should I Answer?, Hiya, Truecaller, or RoboKiller. These services can help identify and block unwanted calls, but be aware that they may ask for sensitive information.
- Change your phone settings: You can adjust your phone settings to filter out unknown senders. However, this may cause you to miss important text reminders from unknown numbers, such as doctor's appointments.
- Be vigilant: Familiarize yourself with the signs of a scam. Legitimate political messages are usually simple and informative, while scams often try to create a sense of panic or anxiety to get you to take action. Never give out personal information, such as your Social Security number, over the phone unless you are certain of the caller's identity.
By following these steps, you can significantly reduce the number of unwanted political calls you receive and protect yourself from potential scams.
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Frequently asked questions
A political call is a phone call made by a political campaign or organisation. These calls are often made during election season and may be automated or made by a real person.
The legality of political calls depends on the country and the type of call. In the US, for example, political calls to mobile phones require prior consent, whereas calls to landlines do not.
To stop receiving political calls, you can register your number on a "Do Not Call" list, such as the US National Do Not Call Registry. You can also contact your phone carrier to block or filter political calls.
If you receive a suspicious political call, it is important to be vigilant and protect your privacy. Do not provide any personal information, such as your Social Security number or credit card details. You can report the call to the relevant authorities, such as the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the US, if you believe it is a scam.
