ANNAPOLIS – Scammers posing as election workers are trying to mislead Maryland voters with fraudulent text messages, prompting concerns at the State Board of Elections.
The scammers are telling voters they’re not registered to vote in November and then urging them to click a false link to remedy that, according to Jared DeMarinis, the board’s state administrator of elections.
“They’re capitalizing on the hypertension involving this election,” DeMarinis said in an interview with Capital News Service. “The text message is urgent, and they’re playing on a fear that an individual is not registered to vote when they really are.”
He said he worries that texting scams of this nature could have a sweeping impact on the election, especially if they mislead voters about whether they’re registered and eligible to vote.
“The impact of this is to create a new narrative and foster disinformation about voter roles,” DeMarinis said.
Similar incidents of text scams have been reported in Illinois, Georgia and Pennsylvania already this year. In Peoria County, for example, text scammers also meant to deceive voters into registering to vote by mail through a link.
Ensuring the integrity of elections and maintaining public trust are critical issues for Maryland election officials and the nation, especially as the 2024 election nears and texting scams become more prevalent.
As the state elections administrator, DeMarinis is tasked with administering and conducting elections and creating consistent policy and application of the laws in Maryland.
The Maryland board was already working to recruit election judges, track mail-in ballots and secure the local elections. Now, they must also battle continuous threats to undermine public trust in elections.
According to the board, the text scam informs recipients that public records show they are not registered at their address. The matter is “URGENT,” the text says. The text then invites the recipient to click a non-governmental link to register before the deadline. Board officials told CNS they did not click on the link, but judge it a texting scam because it wasn’t a governmental web address.
The board’s website lists the valid sources for voter registration, polling locations, mail-in ballot status and ways to vote. The board is also reminding voters that trusted information will come from a .gov web address.
DeMarinis told CNS he is determined to combat the spread of disinformation by being proactive on social media. He also encouraged people to contact him or the state board to verify information.
“You don’t wait until things hit critical mass,” he said, “you combat this information and correct the record immediately.”
The board created a portal on its website where people can report instances of scamming and disinformation. DeMarinis said he plans to work with social media platforms to help correct false information.
He said that if scam efforts rise to the level of voter disenfranchisement or suppression, the board will work with law enforcement to ensure that Marylanders are “free to vote, without any sort of undue influence.”
As the general election approaches with only 48 days left and early voting starting on Sept. 23, the threat of these scammers remains high. The public must remain vigilant and in the meantime, the board will continue its efforts to combat scams and safeguard the integrity of the election, he said.
“These scams are a direct threat to the legitimacy of the electoral process, because, at best, they’re just trying to steal identities,” DeMarinis said. “But at worst, they’re there to kind of sow distrust in an election administration and undermine confidence in the system.”