Election-Themed Scams: Advance Fee Scams Target Voters After US Presidential Debate

As political campaigns heat up, so do the tactics cybercriminals use to exploit voters. While advance fee scams are nothing new, they’re leveraging the recent US presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump to con US citizens. These fraudulent schemes target individuals with messages that evoke patriotism, political bias or emotional connections to well-known figures. Two examples of these politics-themed scams highlight how scammers incorporate election-related narratives to manipulate targets into giving away personally identifiable information and money.

The Advance Fee Scam Framework

Advance fee fraud is a type of scam in which a victim is promised a significant reward (financial, emotional, or material) if they pay a small fee upfront or provide personal information; this condition is not necessarily mentioned in the first moment of contact. Once the victim agrees, the promised reward never materializes, and the scammer either disappears or demands more money and details.

Traditionally, these scams have taken the form of lottery winnings, inheritance claims or investment opportunities. However, scammers are now adjusting their tactics, playing on people's political affiliations and emotional investment in elections to make their schemes more believable.

Bitdefender Antispam Lab has been keeping an eye on such fraudulent correspondence to keep you and your family safe. Below you can find two samples from recent scam campaigns targeting recipients in the US.

Example 1: The Kamala Harris Package Scam

One variant of these politics-themed scams claims to come from US Vice President Kamala Harris. The message asserts that the recipient’s financial package was seized during the Donald Trump administration but has now been made available. The scam capitalizes on the idea that the previous administration was corrupt and that the current administration, under Kamala Harris, is rectifying past wrongs.

This scam employs political figures and administration narratives to create a false sense of urgency and credibility. The message also ties in a large sum of money—$20 million—to convince recipients they are entitled to a windfall for no discernible reason. Like many advance fee scams, it pressures the recipient to provide personal details (such as a home address) to "claim" the package, setting the stage for identity theft, financial loss or further fraud.

Example 2: The Kamala Harris Campaign ‘Raffle’ Scam

Another variation on the political advance fee scam comes in the form of a "raffle" to reward supporters of Kamala Harris’s campaign. The email claims recipients have won $200,000 simply for supporting her candidacy. The message promises even more gifts leading up to the election, incentivizing recipients to respond quickly and without questioning the legitimacy of the offer.

This scam exploits the emotional investment many people have in elections, by claiming to reward political loyalty and participation in an online voting effort. However, like most advance fee scams, it is an empty promise designed to steal personal information or, eventually, money under the guise of "verifying" the prize claim.

Both of these scams tap into current political events and emotional manipulation. Scammers know that many people are more vulnerable during election cycles, where passions run high, and individuals feel more motivated to support their candidates. By associating their fraudulent offers with political figures like Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, scammers aim to create a sense of trust, urgency and personal involvement.

In both cases, the emails offer unrealistic monetary rewards as bait to recipients. The $20 million package claim and the $200,000 raffle prize are have no credibility as a legitimate offer. The scammers rely on the emotional impact of these numbers, counting on victims to respond before thinking critically.

Here's a breakdown of the red flags:

- Unlikely sender: The emails claim to come from the vice president of the United States or her campaign manager, which is highly suspicious. High-ranking officials would never contact individuals personally regarding financial matters, rewards or seized packages.

- Poor grammar and email formatting: The email contains numerous grammatical errors and awkward phrasing. Official government communications are professionally written, without these errors.

- Unrealistic claims: The message refers to a package worth $20 million being seized, which is not only highly unrealistic but also a very common theme in scam emails.

- Political campaigns don’t offer cash prizes: A genuine political campaign doesn’t offer cash prizes or gift raffles in exchange for your support. This is a clear violation of electoral laws in most countries, and political campaigns must follow strict regulations regarding donations and gifts. The promise of money in exchange for political support is not only unrealistic – it’s also illegal.

- Name-dropping of political figures: Mentioning well-known political figures like Donald Trump and the current administration is a tactic to make the email seem relevant and timely. However, scammers often use the names of public figures to give their claims a sense of authority without any real connection to the events.

- Request for personal info:  The email asks for your home address, a common technique in scams to either phish for more personal information or validate the identity of the recipient.

Responding to this type of email could result in you being asked to provide personal information, such as your name, address, bank details, and SSN which could be used for identity theft and fuel further phishing attacks as you indicate to the scammers that you are a viable target.

You can read more about Advance fee scams here: Advance Fee Scams: What They Are, How to Spot Them and Safety Tips

How to Protect Against These Scams

It’s crucial to stay alert during election cycles when cybercriminals ramp up their efforts to deceive voters. Here are some ways to protect yourself from this type of scam:

• Be skeptical of all unexpected offers: Whether it’s a promise of money or rewards for political support, if an offer seems too good to be true, it almost certainly is.
• Verify the source: Always check the legitimacy of any email or message claiming to come from a political figure, campaign, or government agency. Official communications rarely (if ever) make such offers.
• Never share personally identifiable information: Never provide your home address, financial details or other personal information in response to unsolicited emails.
• Report the scam: If you receive a suspicious email, report it to your email provider or a relevant cybercrime authority such as the ICR3, or consumer protection agencies such as the FTC and BBB to prevent others from falling victim.
• Use scam detection tools: Use Bitdefender Scamio, our next-gen AI scam detector for free. Scamio is always ready to help you instantly check any scam. You can send any tricky text, instant message, link, QR code or email to Scamio to get an instant analysis.

Scamio can be accessed on any device or operating system via web browser, Facebook Messenger, or WhatsApp. You can also help others stay safe by sharing Scamio with them in France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Romania, Australia, and the UK