Overwhelmed by nonstop political texts? Scammers exploit this overload, hiding their dangerous messages amid the flood.
Recently, someone in a Rutherford County politics group complained that campaigns can legally spam us by text without consent. The question everyone asks: “How did they even get my number?”
Your data was sold. Maybe you signed up years ago without noticing the fine print, or someone else did. Campaigns legally buy voter lists with phone numbers.
Some report political texts as spam, block numbers, or reply “STOP,” but none of these methods usually work as expected. Used carelessly, they can actually raise the risk of scams.
With the May 5 primary just gone, additional primaries on Aug. 6 and general elections on Nov. 3, brace for six more months of constant texts. During this time, scammers are banking on you dropping your guard even once. Don’t let it happen.
The “STOP” Trap
Replying “STOP” to a real campaign opts you out. But with scams, it confirms your number is active. Scammers want active numbers. When you respond, you’re marked as engaged, then sold to more scammers.
With perhaps 10 political texts daily, real campaigns and scams blur together.
Why Text Scams Work So Well
People are much more likely to click links in text than in email. SMS click rates are 8.9–14.5%, according to reports; email click rates are just 2%. “Smishing”—SMS phishing, or scam texts designed to steal your information—work better than email scams.
The FBI reported that Americans lost nearly $21 billion to cybercrime in 2025. Bank impersonation is the most common smishing scam, accounting for 10% of all smishing messages.
Election season is the perfect cover. Texts seeking donations, surveys or voter registration look routine. But those links don’t go to campaign sites; they steal banking information, install malware, or harvest data.
How Scammers Are Exploiting Election Season
Fake voter registration: A text claims an issue with your registration. The link asks for Social Security number, birth date, and address, everything needed for identity theft.
Fake donations: Messages appear from candidates, but payment links lead to scammers.
Poll scams: Texts offer a “quick poll,” but their links install malware or lead to phishing.
Don’t think you’re too smart for these tricks. Many people respond very quickly to malicious messages; scammers are fast, and so must your caution be.
What You Should Actually Do
Follow these steps to stay safe, no matter if the text is legitimate or a scam:
Don’t reply, not even STOP, unless you’re sure it’s a legitimate campaign. Replying confirms your number is active to scammers.
Forward any suspicious or unwanted texts to 7726. This reports them to your carrier, who can investigate and block the sender.
After reporting, block the sender’s number in your phone’s settings to prevent future messages.
Don’t click links in unsolicited texts.
The Bottom Line
The flood of political texts is overwhelming, and knee-jerk reactions like blocking everything or replying STOP can backfire, exposing you to even more danger.
Blocking legitimate political texts doesn’t stop them; campaigns have legal exemptions. Replying STOP to scam texts only increases the problem.
Election season runs through November, six months of political texts, with scammers potentially hiding in the noise.
Your safest move: immediately forward to 7726, block, delete, and never reply.
If you see red flags, report to 7726 and move on.
Political texts will end, but scammers using them as cover won’t. Always, stay alert.
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Photo, top, courtesy of William Fortunado / Pexels
