CLEVELAND — As Election Day gets closer, calls and texts asking for contributions are coming in like wildfire.
THE QUESTION
So how can you know what's a legitimate request for a campaign donation, and what's a scam? Here are a few VERIFY Fast Facts to help you avoid being tricked.
Fact 1: Look for a disclaimer
First, federal law requires campaign marketing materials to let you know who is paying for them, so look for that disclaimer. This won't show up in a text you receive asking for money, but it should appear on any page a link in that text takes you to.
For example, a link in a recent text campaign for former President Donald Trump points to a site that says "Paid for by WinRed" at the bottom. A link in a recent text campaign for former Vice President Kamala Harris points to a site that says "Paid for by Dem Turnout 2024" at the bottom.
If you don't see something that says "paid for by" with either a candidate's name or committee name on a page that's asking for your money, don't use that site to donate.
Fact 2: Look for 'HTTPS'
Second, website addresses that begin with "HTTPS" are secured for financial transactions, so look for that.
As Amazon explains, websites set up using "HTTP" aren't encrypted, so third parties can get access to information you enter there. If you don't see HTTPS at the beginning of a website, don't use that site to send money.
Fact 3: Don't reply, be proactive
Finally, the safest thing to do is to be proactive about making election donations, and simply avoid responding to unsolicited calls and texts altogether.
Instead, you can visit the campaign or issue site that you want to support, like the officials websites for either of former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris' campaigns. You can make your donation there, so you know your money is going where you want it to go.
It takes out all of the guesswork, and you can have peace of mind knowing you didn't expose your personal information to scammers.