This week, several media outlets issued alerts cautioning people to be vigilant against a novel phishing scam that targets individuals via text messages, claiming they are not yet registered to vote. A closer examination revealed the emails originated from a California-based political consulting firm, as part of a seemingly benevolent yet potentially misguided voter registration drive that bore unsettling similarities to a phishing scam.
Picture: WDIV Detroit on Youtube.
On Aug. Will Michigan’s Native Channel 4 Affiliate Curb Voter Turnout with New SMS Messages? Despite a lack of clarity on the mechanics, the report does provide insight into the issue’s scope with an excerpted text message linking to the affected website.
The unsolicited message arrived: “We’ve recorded you as unregistered to vote.” “Examine your registration standing & register in 2 minutes.”
Comparable warnings have emerged from both the Philippine Commission on Elections and the National Movement of Youth, cautioning election officers to vigilantly monitor suspicious messages originating from all-vote.com. Several individuals who received the messages reported that they immediately suspected a scam because they were already aware of having registered to vote in their state, rendering the notification redundant and raising suspicions about its legitimacy. WDIV reported that a Canadian seventh-grader had purchased the text message, admitting that he wasn’t registered to vote.
Before determining if all-vote.com is a reputable organization, someone may decide to visit its primary website initially rather than simply clicking on the link within an SMS to gather more information about the group’s mission and activities. Visiting all-vote.com directly leads users to a login webpage for the online platform, bl.ink, rather than the expected voting website. The domain findsallvote.com was registered on July 10th, 2024. Purple flag #1.
What specific knowledge did voters request when visiting votewin.org following the SMS marketing campaign?
Another model of the SMS marketing campaign prompted recipients to verify their voter status at a website dubbed . The website votewin.org lacks transparency regarding its operators, failing to provide essential information about those responsible for the online platform. Furthermore, the contact webpage yields a non-specific contact form, rendering it ineffective for users seeking direct communication with the site’s administrators. Purple Flag #2.
Votewin.org requests guests supply personal details, including title, occupation, email address, birthdate and mobile number, with options to opt-in for additional notifications prior to registration. Massive Purple Flag #3.
VoteAmerica’s Phrases of Service, referencing a California-based voter engagement platform, indicate that the same voter registration questionnaire used in SMS messages becomes accessible when users click the “Test Your Registration Status” link on voteamerica.org.
According to VoteAmerica’s founder, KrebsOnSecurity was informed that a San Francisco-based political consulting agency is responsible for sending SMS messages to individuals claiming they were not registered.
According to Cleaver, her office received numerous inquiries regarding the text messages that contravene a fundamental principle of election communication: under no circumstances should one reveal a voter’s registration status.
“That’s one of the many worst practices,” said Cleaver. “You should never rely on someone telling you what the voter file says because voter data is often unreliable and can be outdated.”
Motion Labs’ founder revealed via email that their SMS campaigns targeted “underrepresented groups among the electorate, including young people, those in flux, low-income households, and others not yet registered in our databases, aiming to help them enroll in the voting process.”
According to Landau, visiting Votewin.org simply verifies whether a customer is registered to vote in their home state, and then endeavors to facilitate registration if they are not already enrolled.
In a statement, he revealed that numerous people were disturbed by the messages; our analysis encompassed various message formats, revealing that those with the greatest impact significantly influenced someone’s likelihood of registration. “I apologize sincerely for anyone mistakenly receiving this message, who has already registered to vote. We’re reviewing our content immediately to determine whether there are alternative approaches that can effectively drive new voter registrations while minimizing errors.”
While Cleaver initially suggested that Motion Labs’ SMS marketing campaign was incompetent, he later clarified that the mistake wasn’t intentional or malicious.
“When working in voter mobilization, it’s crucial to go beyond mere intentions and deliver tangible results.” “When all is said and done, the ultimate consequences of incompetence and maliciousness are indistinguishable: unrelenting chaos, suppressed voter participation, and irreparable damage to our democratic fabric.”
To register to vote or update your existing registration, visit www[dot]vote.org and select your state or locality.
