Election Scam Alerts: How Scammers Are Targeting the 2026 Midterms

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center issued a new public service alert on October 15, 2026 warning that fraudsters are exploiting the 2026 U.S. midterm election to run multiple financial scams. The alert says scammers are using candidate names, logos and AI‑generated media to solicit donations, sell merchandise that never ships, and harvest personal information through fake voter‑registration sites. These tactics are a continuation of schemes that appeared in the 2024 election cycle, but the use of realistic AI deepfakes makes detection harder for voters and small‑business owners alike. (Source: FBI IC3)

How scammers are leveraging the midterms

Scammers are taking advantage of the heightened public attention around the midterm races. They copy campaign branding, including slogans and candidate images, to lend credibility to their outreach. According to the FBI, many of these communications are generated with artificial‑intelligence tools that can mimic a candidate’s voice, produce lifelike portrait images, and write persuasive copy that sounds official. The alert notes that the realism of these messages increases the likelihood that victims will part with money or personal data.

Common election‑related fraud schemes

The FBI lists several patterns that have resurfaced:

• Campaign Investment Pool Scheme, Victims are told they can invest a contribution in a pool that will pay out if the candidate wins. The promise of a guaranteed return is false, and the scammers often pressure participants to recruit more investors.
• Political Action Committee Scheme (ScamPACs), Fraudsters pose as a legitimate PAC or Super PAC, request donations, and keep the funds. They may even file paperwork that makes the PAC appear registered, but the money never supports any campaign.
• Online Purchase Scheme, Scammers advertise political merchandise such as hats, buttons or stickers, accept payment, and never ship the items. This is a classic non‑delivery fraud.
• Voter Registration Scheme, Recipients receive a text or email claiming they are not registered to vote. The message includes a link to a fake registration page that captures names, addresses, Social Security numbers and other personally identifiable information.

Each of these schemes can result in direct financial loss, identity theft, or further targeting with additional scams.

Practical steps to protect your organization and staff

Below are actions you can take right now to reduce the risk of falling victim to election‑related fraud:

• Treat unsolicited outreach with suspicion, Do not provide personal or financial information to callers, texters or email senders you do not already know.
• Verify donation requests, Check the Federal Election Commission (FEC) website for the official registration and filing status of any PAC, Super PAC or campaign committee before giving money.
• Confirm contact details, Look up phone numbers and email addresses on the organization’s official website. Scammers often use look‑alike domains or spoofed numbers.
• Research merchants before purchase, Use the Better Business Bureau (BBB.org) to read reviews and complaints about any company selling political merchandise.
• Check your voter registration directly, Visit the official government portal at www.vote.gov rather than following links in unsolicited messages.
• Educate staff and volunteers, Share the FBI’s warning and run a brief training session on how to spot AI‑generated deepfakes and other red flags.
• Report suspicious activity, If you encounter a potential scam, file a complaint with your local FBI field office or the IC3 at www.ic3.gov. Include as much detail as possible, such as names, contact information, payment method and a description of the interaction.
• Secure your web presence, Review what information is publicly visible on your website. Attackers often start with publicly available data. See what an attacker can already learn about yours on our security page.