Blog: ID Thieves Carry Out Voter Registration Scams

Added August 15, 2008 by Melanie G. Rogers

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As we get closer to the 2008 presidential election, a variety of organizations may be working to register more voters.

But be careful because identity thieves have started posing as voter registration campaigners, according to the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission.

These identity thieves may promise to register you to vote and ask you for personal information such as your Social Security number or financial information and then turn around and use it to steal your identity.

How do scammers contact you? Through unsolicited e-mails and phone calls. And some really brazen ones will try in person, say when you're going to the grocery store.

"The importance of registering to vote allows you to participate in the electoral process and gives you the power to make a difference in deciding who will serve elected office. That right should not be impacted by those scammers looking to take advantage of people wishing to vote," says Steve J. Bernas, president & CEO of The Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois.

What should you do if a potential scammer contacts you? Turn in the scammer's information to the FTC via ftc.gov or 1-877-FTC-HELP. If you're worried you may have been scammed, contact the FTC and visit ftc.gov/idtheft.

If you want to register to vote make sure to do so through a reputable organization. Contact your local board of elections. Often libraries or state motor vehicle agencies have voter registration forms. You can also check out this site: www.eac.gov/voter - the site offers a form accepted by numerous states, according to the BBB.

Now's a good time to register to vote. The clock's running out and some localities have time constraints about how soon before the election you should register.

Aug. 15, 2008.

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