ASK KIM
Don't Fall for This Voter Registration Scam
by Kimberly Lankford

I received a call from someone who said they were with the election board in my area and wanted to verify my eligibility to vote. They asked for my social security number, which made me quite suspicious. Is this for real or is this some kind of scam?

This is a scam –- do not give them your social security number or any information about yourself. The Federal Trade Commission has heard from quite a few people who received similar calls, and they found that this is one of the newest ways that identity thieves try to collect your personal information. Legitimate voter registration organizations generally contact you in person or provide you with a voter registration form that you fill out yourself.

Report the call to the FTC, either through its online complaint form or by calling 877-FTC-HELP.

If you've already given the scammers your personal information, see the FTC's identity theft information page for the steps you should take next to protect yourself. The Identity Theft Resource Center and the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse also have helpful information about overcoming identity theft.

If you want to get in touch with a legitimate organization that can check on your voter eligibility, contact your election office -– you can usually find the information at your local government's Web site. Many have online forms where you can immediately look up your voting status and the address of your designated polling place.

If you still need to sign up to vote, you can submit the Federal Election Commission's National Voter Registration Form, which also includes information about each state's voter registration rules. See FirstGov.com's Voting and Elections page for additional information and resources.

If you haven't registered to vote yet, you'll need to act quickly. Some states must receive your voter registration form 30 days before the election (you've missed that deadline) but others need just 15 days or less. Check your state's deadline to see if you still have time.