Election scams are on the rise in Georgia

ATLANTA, Ga. (WJBF) – With less than weeks to go until election day, you may notice more texts, ads and political emails flood your inbox.

But state election leaders and cyber security experts are warning you of potential scammers trying to prey on your personal data.

State leaders say be wary of suspicious emails or texts which require you to click on a link. Scam messages usually have spelling mistakes or grammatical errors and that can be a red flag for phishing attempts by sending you a fake link that could be malware.

If you want to donate to a campaign, experts say don't click on a link but instead go directly to the source website.

"We ask you be diligent and do your research on the organization before you give," said Assistant Commissioner of Security, Noula Zaharis.

There's a slew of fake text messages being sent out to encourage you to register to vote for the November elections including "Here is money if you register to vote." State leaders say that deadline has past on October 7th so if you did not register, you cannot vote in the upcoming elections.

"Whether it is donor fraud or investor fraud, we ask you be on the alert for businesses that try to solicit money from you," said Zaharis.

There is a political scam, AI deepfake to create a realistic sounding voice or video using celebrities to make you believe about endorsements which experts say are fake. With the recent hurricane in Georgia, scammers could use election season to get you to donate to fake charities or election-related rebuilding efforts which are fraudulent.

"In addition to the bad actors asking you to donate, bad actors are also asking you to donate money for investments like loss of opportunities. The Georgia Secretary of State says there is an increase as fraudsters pose as government officials or government agencies," said Zaharis.

State leaders say look out for texts of fake polling locations and always check on the my voter page to find out where you should vote instead of relying on text links.

Scammers may ask you for your social security, phone number, email or bank account information or passwords, but those are sensitive data that the government will not ask you via text or email.

You can report a suspicious scams to the Secretary of State's office at 470-312-2640