Want to support a particular candidate or cause? Heres how to do it safely.

This factoid may make you want to throw your phone in the lake, but here goes nothing: Americans are expected to receive a record number of political text messages this year, eclipsing the 15 billion political texts sent already sent during the midterm election, which marked a 158% increase from the previous year.

Inderpal Singh Mumick, CEO of Dotgothe worlds largest RCS business messaging hub and one that helped shape text marketing as a critical tool for the last presidential election cycle tells ConsumerAffairs that the political powers love texts because 98% of people who get a text message will read it.

Enough to choke a horse for sure, but how do you know which ones are worth reading and which ones are fake? The 2024 election cycle is the first one after the launch of ChatGPT. Generative AI allows texts to add in images, audio, and videos which Mumick contends most of will be sent by mischief-mongers, fraudsters, and scammers.

We got an early example when a robocall, supposedly from President Biden, asked voters to skip the New Hampshire primary in January, Mumick reminds us. The voice in the robocall was very realistic, sounding just like President Biden. Further, the robocall came from the mobile phone number of a former state Democratic chairwoman.

So, in 2024, you cannot be sure that the number that is calling or texting you is genuine, you cannot be sure that the audio you hear is authentic, you cannot be sure that the images you see or videos you watch are real, and you cannot be sure that the URL you follow is legitimate.

Three signs you should keepan eye out for are:

Any call to unexpected or unfamiliar action: If you get a call from the president or your senator or congressman, asking you not to vote, it is a red flag that the message is fraudulent, Mumick notes. If the caller offers you a large prize in exchange fora donation, or even in exchange for your personal information, walk away.

Fake polls: A simple yay or nay may seem innocent enough, but these polls can be designed to collect personal information like your name, address, phone number, email address, or even birthdate. And you know where that could lead, right? Nowhere good.

Financial fraud: The electoral candidates are always asking for money, but donating by clicking on a link in a text message could be sudden financial death. Both parties have official websites for political donations and you should use those and only those. Theres Winred for Republicans, and Act Blue for Democrats. If you are asked to donate outside these websites, it is likely a fraud, Mumick says.

Protecting yourself

Mumick says that every single one of us needs to be vigilant, that we need to check, and double-check. If its a candidate or a cause that resonates with us, we should verify with official websites, official phone numbers you find on official websitesand reputable news sources.

We also need to realize that a number of these texters want nothing more than to take our money. Mumick theorizes that rather than send us a link to click or a number to call, many of these will try togroom us over weeks and months, building our trust, before walking away with our money. A classic case of pig butchering if there ever was one.

To protect yourself, refuse to use unfamiliar platforms: If someone pressures you to use a specific investment platform they recommend, especially if it's something you've never heard of, it's almost certainly a scam. Stick to reputable, regulated platforms.

If they pressure you, thats another red flag.

If they ask you for money or some personal info, tell them that you want to do a video chat or meet them in person. Mumick says thats a sure-fire way to bring a scammer out of the shadows.

What about causes?

There are a lot of well-intentioned causes in the world, but most of them know better than to try and lay it on thick via text messages. Never donate to a cause on the call or text you get. If you want to donate, contact them directly via their official website, Mumick suggests.

His preference for vettinga cause is by using a charity watchdog such as Charity Navigator or GiveWell, where youll find ratings, financial overviews, and responsible spending practices. You can also contact the organization directly using the contact information found on their official website. If what you hear connects with your beliefs, then trust your gut and consider making a donation to that cause.