Recent election text scam prompts county warning to residents

Williamsport, Pa. — Don't be duped by false claims or scams, and don't be a victim to mis- or disinformation. This is the message from the Lycoming County Board of Elections on Tuesday.

"Between now and the November election, Lycoming County residents should be extremely cautious of election-related phone calls, texts, and emails that may actually be fraud or phishing attempts," a news release warned.

The warning should not be limited to Lycoming County residents, said Forrest Lehman, director of Elections and Registration with the county. Fraudulent attempts at accessing people's personal or financial information are happening all over the region, state, and country.

What prompted the county's media release was a receent call from a concerned resident, Lehman told Northcentralpa.com. "A resident reported receiving a suspicious text to follow a link to vote by mail. The link did not go to any county or state website, however," Lehman said.

"It's important to know you cannot register to vote or vote via telephone, text, or email in Pennsylvania," he reiterated.

If you want to register, look up your county's website or the Pa. Department of State's website. "Be proactive and access that information yourself," Lehman said.

Reminders from the Lycoming County Board of Elections include:

1) Do not provide personal identifying information or financial information over phone, text, or email in response to an election-related communication from an unknown or unfamiliar source.

2) Do not click on suspicious links embedded in an election-related communication from an unknown or unfamiliar source.

3) It is worth repeating: It is not possible to register to vote, apply for a mail ballot, or cast a vote by phone, text, or email in Pennsylvania.

Be cautious if a person is going door-to-door claiming to be from voter services or other county office, such as the Sheriff's office or Tax office, the release said. Be suspicious if a person fails to identify themselves or disclose what party or organization they are affiliated with.

"Voter Services employees do not conduct door-to-door solicitation of any kind," Lehman reinforced.

"Unfortunately this will increase as we get closer to the election," Lehman said. "There will be numerous attempts at mis- and disinformation to obtain personal or financial information. It's always smart to be aware."