FBI warns scammers could exploit the 2026 midterm election, including with AI-generated impersonations
Checked
The FBI says campaign donations are not an investment. Check a committee on the FEC website, check your registration at vote.gov and report scams to ic3.gov.
Who is affected
People across the U.S. The FBI says these schemes target victims nationwide. It does not publish a count of complaints for them.
What happened
In an Oct 15, 2026 public service announcement, the FBI warns that scammers could exploit the 2026 midterm election. It says that, as it has reported before, scammers use candidates' names, images, logos and slogans to ask for fake campaign contributions, sell merchandise that never ships, or steal personal information. It says scammers also exploit AI tools "to generate highly realistic voices, images, and written messages that impersonate candidates, campaigns, government entities, and trusted contacts." The FBI does not say how many complaints involved AI. It says election scams come in many varieties, including these four:
- Campaign investment pools that promise a guaranteed return if a candidate wins, and ask you to recruit others.
- Fake PAC donation requests, where the scammers have no tie to the committee and keep the money.
- Political merchandise that is never shipped.
- Texts or emails saying you aren't registered to vote, with a link to a fake state registration page that collects personal information.
What to do now (from the FBI)
- Campaign donations are not an investment and will not increase in value or be returned.
- Check a committee's registration and financial filings on the Federal Election Commission (FEC) website. The FBI says some scam PACs may appear registered, and high fundraising, consulting or administrative costs can be a warning sign.
- Be cautious with unsolicited calls, texts, emails and surveys. Don't give personal information to people you don't know, and don't click unknown links.
- Check your voter registration at www.vote.gov.
- Report election-related scams to ic3.gov or your local FBI field office.
Dates
- Event date: none given. The FBI warns about the 2026 midterm election and says these schemes have previously exploited state and local elections.
- Published: Oct 15, 2026 (FBI IC3 alert I-101526-3-PSA, an update to its Oct 29, 2024 alert).
- Date checked: Oct 22, 2026.