Scam Alert: Robocall scams get political
Between the political ads and the news coverage, the 2020 presidential election is impossible to ignore. But voters arenât the only ones paying attention. According to recent BBB Scam Tracker reports, scammers are using phony political fundraising calls to trick Americans into âdonatingâ to a favorite candidate.
How the scam works
You receive a robocall and answer the phone. Itâs a recorded voice â perhaps even one that sounds just like one of the presidential candidates. According to the recording, rivals have been raising a lot of money. In order to see your favorite candidate elected, you need to donate⌠immediately.
If you offer to give, youâll be transferred to a live person and asked for your credit card information. But your money wonât go to support the political cause. Instead, the phony caller will make off with your money and/or personal information that can be used for identity theft. As the 2020 election campaign heats up, be on the lookout for more versions of this con.
How to avoid robocall scams
â Screen your calls. If a call comes in from a number you donât recognize, donât answer. Even if the number looks familiar, be wary. Check the number on Whitepages.com (a BBB Accredited Business) to see if itâs been flagged with a fraud alert.
â Donât respond to unsolicited robocalls. If you receive an unsolicited robocall that seems to come from a legitimate business, be cautious. Scammers can fake caller ID, and businesses are only allowed to call you via robocall with your written permission. If someone is calling you out of the blue, itâs most likely a scam. Best practice is to hang up the phone without interacting with the call. Donât âpress 1 to be removed from our list.â That just confirms to the scammer that your number is good.
â Register with the Do Not Call Registry. This step wonât prevent scammers from calling you, but it will reduce the number of legitimate marketing calls you receive, which will make it easier to identify the fraudulent ones. If you live in the United States, call 888-382-1222 or register online at Donotcall.gov.