Cyber Threat Actors Use a Variety of Techniques to Target Election and Campaign Officials
Criminals send fake emails and text messages that look like real ones to steal logins and sensitive information from election officials, campaign staff, and the public. The FBI and CISA warn that AI now makes these messages more convincing and can produce fake audio and video to support them.
How it works
The contact comes by email, text message, or encrypted chat app and often looks like it comes from a trusted source, such as an election office, a campaign, or a colleague. The message uses natural language, so it no longer has the spelling and grammar errors that once gave it away. It urges the reader to click a link, open an attachment, or reply with login details or financial information. Some messages carry malware, and criminals may also use deepfake audio or video to make the request more believable.
Red flags to watch for
- Unexpected email or text asks for login credentials
- Message links to a login page you did not request
- Unknown sender uses familiar names, titles, or office details
- Urgent request to act now or confirm sensitive information
- Attachment from a sender you do not recognize
What to do
Do not click links, open attachments, or reply with passwords or financial details in an unexpected message. Instead, contact the sender through a number or address you already know is real, and type any web address into your browser by hand. Turn on phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication for email and any account that holds sensitive data. Report suspicious messages to your IT or security team, and forward phishing texts to 7726 (SPAM).
If this reached you
Source: FBI IC3 . Scam Sentinel summarizes official guidance in plain language; it is a decision aid, not a guarantee.