If your phone in Philadelphia has been buzzing non-stop with political texts lately, you are not alone. Residents across the city are getting hit with messages promising ballot help, phony voter-registration fixes and sketchy donation links as the 2026 midterm season kicks into gear. Cybersecurity researchers say the flood runs from run-of-the-mill campaign spam to far more dangerous "smishing" attempts that try to steal passwords, payment information or lure people onto fake websites. Local voters and volunteer election workers say both the volume and polish of these messages have jumped in recent weeks.
FOX29's Judayah Murray recently sat down with Dr. Megan Squire, a cyber threat intelligence researcher, to break down how these political text scams work and how to dodge them. As reported by FOX29 Philadelphia, Squire urged people to skip unfamiliar links, treat any hyper-urgent message with suspicion and double-check election details only through official sources.
Security firm Check Point says it has already tracked spikes in newly registered domains that contain words like "vote" or "election" and identified thousands of exposed credentials tied to political fundraising platforms. Those findings, researchers say, could be turned into convincing phishing pages. Reporting on the research, NextGov noted that this fits a familiar pattern of attackers quietly building up election-adjacent infrastructure ahead of the current cycle.
How the scams work
Smishing scammers lean heavily on urgency, spoofed sender IDs and official-sounding language to get people to react fast instead of thinking twice. Messages may claim there is a voter-registration error, a missing ballot or a last-minute polling location change, then funnel recipients to a bogus website or payment page. The FBI cautions that bad actors can use texting to spread false information about how or where to vote and reminds the public that you cannot vote by text. The bureau urges people to report suspected voter-suppression messages to IC3. FBI.
What to do if you get one
If a sketchy election-related text pops up, do not click any links and do not reply, even to say "stop." Instead, take a screenshot and confirm any supposed election notice directly with your county board of elections or through USA.gov.
You can also forward suspicious messages to your carrier by copying the text and sending it to 7726 (SPAM), then file a report with the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If a text looks like it is trying to mislead voters or impersonate election officials, report it to the FBI/IC3 at IC3 so investigators can track patterns and respond. The FTC explains the 7726 forwarding process and related reporting steps in its guidance.
Legal angle
According to the FBI, intentionally deceiving qualified voters in order to keep them from casting a ballot is voter suppression and can rise to the level of a federal offense. That means some of these political texts are not just annoying; they may cross into potential criminal conduct. When you report one, save screenshots, the sender’s number and any web links. That digital trail helps law enforcement and phone carriers identify and disrupt the operations behind the scams. FBI.
For Philadelphia voters the bottom line is straightforward: treat unsolicited political texts the same way you would treat any suspicious message. Pause, verify and then report. Experts such as Dr. Megan Squire say basic hygiene, like refusing to click, avoiding replies and flagging the message, can blunt both criminal scams and the kind of disinformation that clogs up local democracy. If something questionable lands in your inbox, forward it to 7726, document what you received and check in with your county elections office so officials know what rumors or false claims might be circulating in your neighborhood.
