LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — We’re one week out from Election Day, and by now, you’ve probably fielded a text (or several) or seen campaign advertising on your social media. But have you ever second-guessed if it’s real or fake?
Experts at Check Point Exposure Management have published their report, titled "2026 US Midterm Election Threats: Pre-Election Update," where they break down scam activity they’ve observed between July and early October 2026.
Senior reporter Mary Kielar breaks down the scams you're likely to encounter during election season and how to spot them:
Tony Sabaj of Check Point Software told Channel 13 bad actors take advantage of a process none of us do very often: voting.
“They don’t have to create a sense of urgency, and that’s usually what lets people put their guard down a little bit to fall for some of these scams,” he said.
Sabaj explained there are plenty of other ways scammers are targeting voters.
“Political action committees and donations, and you know, fake text messages saying you’re not registered to vote. These aren’t things that people deal with on a daily basis, so it’s really hard to determine, sometimes, if it’s a scam or not," he said.
Something else to consider, he told Channel 13, is whether you’re on a real website that’s tied to a candidate’s campaign.
“If you want to donate to Jane Doe,” he said, “go actually find out what Jane Doe’s actual website is. All official campaigns and political action committees all have to be registered with the Federal Election Commission.”
Smaller, lesser-known races that get less publicity might also be a target for scammers, he said. That’s because, he explained, the big-time races have campaign staffers specifically looking for scams and ways to shut them down fast.
If you feel you've fallen victim to a scam or want to report one in general, you can share information with the FBI.
