Political Scams Are on the Rise, as Is Their Success Rate

"Susan J, a lab member's grandmother, is one of the millions of people who were targeted by scammers impersonating politicians or campaigns last year. Smart, politically active, and eager to make her voice heard, she's donated to candidates she supports for years and frequently takes the time to respond to political polls. But in early January, she learned firsthand that not all political outreach is as it seems."

"Susan received a phone call from what appeared to be a legitimate campaign asking for a donation to support the candidate she cared about. The call sounded genuine- too genuine, exactly like many legitimate campaign calls she has received in the past. However, she paused when they asked for her credit card information over the phone. After some research and discussions with neighbors who experienced similar calls, Susan discovered the call was a scam."

"According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), adults over 60 lost over $1.9 billion to fraud in 2023, although experts estimate the true number to be closer to $61.5 billion. Political scams are becoming a bigger slice of that pie as elections become more polarized and campaigns more digitized (FTC, 2024). What is especially challenging for consumers and voters is that legitimate campaign operatives use many of the same common persuasion techniques employed by scammers including use of authority (the name of famous politician); urgency ("Don't let X happen in your state""

An older voter in Virginia received a convincing donation call that cloned a real campaign's number and mimicked its messaging. The caller requested credit card information, prompting skepticism and local reports that revealed the outreach was fraudulent. Adults over 60 reported $1.9 billion in fraud losses in 2023, with expert estimates near $61.5 billion. Political scams are increasing as elections polarize and campaigns digitize. Shared persuasion techniques—authority, urgency, and familiar messaging—make it difficult to distinguish legitimate campaign outreach from scams.

Read at Psychology Today