Did you get a text saying you are not registered to vote — or a polished email asking for your password?

The FBI and CISA warned on October 16 that criminals are using AI to make election-season scam texts and emails look polished and real. Do not tap the link — here is what to do instead.

Two weeks before the midterms, your phone buzzes: “Records show you are NOT registered. Tap here to fix it in 2 minutes.” Short answer: Do not tap the link. On October 16, 2026, the FBI and CISA warned that criminals are using AI to make fake election-season emails and texts far more convincing, aiming to steal passwords and sensitive information — with election officials, candidates, and the public all attractive targets.

The old giveaway is gone: AI writes clean, polished messages with no spelling errors left to spot. And anything about your registration or your vote feels urgent by design, because urgency is exactly what rushes you past stopping to check.1. Never use the link or phone number inside the message, however official it looks.2.

Check your registration yourself. Type vote.gov into your browser and follow it through to your official state election site.3. Treat “account problem” emails the same way.

Open the organization’s official app, or type its real website address yourself — never arrive through the message link.4. Turn on two-factor authentication for your email and other key accounts, so a stolen password alone is not enough to get in.5. Report and delete the message, then warn family members who may be less suspicious than you.Pro tip: A correct-looking sender name proves nothing — sender names can be spoofed.

The address you look up and type yourself is the one that counts.Ad’s take: These messages are built to make you hurry, so the fix is simple: slow down and type the real address yourself. Thirty seconds of calm beats a stolen password every time.