Deception in democracy: Beware the most common types of election-related scams

Elections are one of the most important parts of a democracy, but unfortunately that also means bad actors will try to twist things to their advantage.

With the U.S. general election just around the corner, cybersecurity risks are increasing, not only to the systems running the elections but to you as well. Social media and the internet are used to spread propaganda and sway opinion.

Even more concerning, these campaigns are powered by AI tools, making it much easier for bad actors to churn out misleading information at lightning speed and at scale. is.

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your opinions may not be your own

Technology has made it much easier for bad actors to ruin your opinion, but this is nothing new. Whether it's during a presidential debate, reading the news, or just watching an ad, we're constantly being persuaded. However, when false facts become involved, the situation crosses the line. It's fine to base your argument on actual points, but what about outright lying with fabricated facts? That's a completely different story.

You may see people trying to sway your decisions with shocking headlines, passionate tweets, and videos that play on your biases. Much of this content may be created by generative AI (GenAI), but in some cases it can also be completely false.

A recent survey by Trend Micro found that many people have a hard time identifying misinformation and fraud, much of it currently related to elections. 79% of U.S. respondents feel somewhat or very confident in their ability to identify online scams, but a surprising 62% are unable to correctly identify a particular instance as a scam. did.

Lynette Owens, vice president of global consumer education and marketing at Trend Micro, tells CyberGuy her thoughts on the gap between people's confidence and their actual ability to spot misinformation. .

“Many people are likely to have received fraud detection and cybersecurity training through their employers, at least at some level. This is in addition to using obvious examples of fraud in training materials. AI, scams, deepfakes, and methods of disseminating misinformation are also becoming increasingly sophisticated, which can lead to people overestimating their ability to spot scams and misinformation. While you may believe you can find your phone, many may have never had to face or identify more recent, believable scam emails or fake websites. .”

People arrive to vote in the 2018 midterm elections in Omar, West Virginia, on November 6, 2018. (Reuters/Joshua Roberts)

How to get your phone back and block annoying political text messages

GenAI dangers

GenAI can be used to disrupt elections in more ways than you can imagine. trend micro. You can quickly churn out fake news, create deepfake videos and audio, automate hacking, and craft convincing phishing emails. Additionally, GenAI can assist in the creation of social media content, providing foreign adversaries with near-native language skills and cultural know-how to more easily integrate.

For example, AI-powered bots can pump out fake news articles or mimic human-like conversations on social media. These bots can spread misinformation quickly. Last August, an investigation by the Center for Information Resilience discovered 56 fake accounts on Platform X (formerly Twitter). These accounts were part of a coordinated effort to promote the Trump-Vance ticket for the 2024 U.S. presidential election. There is no evidence that the Trump campaign had anything to do with it.

The US Department of Justice also recently seized fake news websites that imitated news organizations such as the Washington Post. These fake websites contained articles aimed at influencing readers' sentiments in favor of Russian interests.

Don't fall prey to this election season's most sophisticated scams

Possibility of damage caused by deep fakes

Thanks to advances in AI, creating incredibly realistic deepfakes is easier than ever. Even people with little or no technical know-how can manipulate images and videos, opening the door to tampering with elections and spreading false information. Politicians are particularly at risk because they appear in all types of media, including magazine photos, news interviews, and speeches. This exposure makes it easier to train AI models.

These deepfakes can spread misinformation, manipulate public opinion, deepen political divisions, and undermine someone's trust. In August, social media was abuzz with an AI-generated video of presidential candidate Kamala Harris making false statements in a doctored campaign ad. The video was also shared by celebrities like Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Tools such as Deepfake 3D Pro, Deepfake AI, SwapFace, and AvatarAI VideoCallSpoofer are commonly seen on criminal forums and are among the most popular tools used to create deepfakes. These tools can bypass verification systems or generate compromised videos or fake real-time video calls, all of which further exacerbate the threat to election integrity.

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What is artificial intelligence (AI)?

The most common types of election-related misinformation and fraud

There's a lot of election-related misinformation and fraud to watch out for, but Owens highlights three main things to watch out for besides deepfakes.

1. Voter registration fraud It contains a link to a fake voter registration form, which scammers send by phone, email, or text message. This type of link is Phishing scam To collect personal data (such as passwords, financial information, social security numbers, etc.) or allow others to access your device.

2. Campaign donation scam This includes cybercriminals contacting voters by email, social media, or phone and posing as political action committees to steal money or personal information.

3. Fake surveys, petitions, and polls Scammers trick voters into revealing personal information. These scams occur over the phone, via email, text message, and even in person, asking people to answer questions or sign petitions in the name of supporting a political cause. They may also feature politicians' names or images to appear legitimate and encourage recipients to make small donations. Victims are then persuaded to provide sensitive information, such as social security numbers and home addresses, which can be used to commit fraud.

5 ways to protect yourself from election fraud and misinformation

1. Be aware of potential red flags. Be aware of potential red flags when it comes to scams as well as misinformation and manipulated content. Common signs to look out for include sensational attention-grabbing headlines, suspicious domains that appear untrustworthy, and a sense of urgency or demands for urgent action. Additionally, poor grammar, doctored images, missing timestamps, and unattributed data all indicate that something may not be right.

“When consuming media, voters venture beyond the headlines, cross-verify with other news outlets, vet links and sources, research authors, verify images, and consult fact checkers,” Owens said. Observing how important news develops over time will help you assess the credibility of your sources, diversify your news sources, focus on trusted news outlets, and think before you share. This allows individuals to combat the spread of election-related fake news.”

2. Do not click on every link that appears. It's important to be careful about clicking on every link you see, especially on social media and unfamiliar websites. Many of these links may be scams designed to install malware or steal money in the name of elections.

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The best way to protect yourself from malicious links that can install malware and access your personal information is to install antivirus software on all your devices. This protection also warns you about phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best antivirus protection products of 2024 for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices.

3. Don't rely on social media for election news. One effective strategy to protect yourself from election-related misinformation is to limit your reliance on social media for election news. Social media platforms are often a breeding ground for misinformation, deepfakes, and fraud.

4. Invest in a personal data deletion service. During election periods, it is important to protect personal information from being misused for political purposes. Consider investing in a reliable data deletion service to reduce your digital footprint and minimize the risk of targeted political manipulation. Political campaigns may use data from people search sites to create targeted ads based on your personal information and manipulate your opinions. Scammers can also use information from these sites to impersonate you for political fraud or to spread false information in your name. Your contact information may be used for unsolicited political phone calls, emails, and even in-person visits. Detailed personal information can be used to build comprehensive voter profiles and can influence the approach of political groups.

No service promises to remove all data from the Internet, but if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing information from hundreds of sites over an extended period of time, a removal service is a good option. is the best. Check out my recommended data deletion services here.

5. Report suspected election misinformation: If you suspect voter fraud, please report it to your state or territory election office. You may also file a report with your local FBI office, your local U.S. attorney's office, or the Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice's Criminal Division. You can also report suspected false, offensive, or harmful information on social media platforms in several ways.

Cart important points

With less than two weeks until Election Day, it's more important than ever to be wary of misinformation and fraud. First, when you come across election information, be sure to double-check the source. Stick to what you trust and cross-check claims. Be careful with links, as some links can lead to scams that steal your money or install malware. Watch out for red flags like sensational headlines and sketchy websites. If you find voter fraud or harmful information, please report it to the appropriate person.

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