September 7th, 2024 by WCBC Radio

The Maryland State Board of Elections (SBE) today warned Maryland voters to be vigilant of texting scams that are spreading disinformation about the 2024 Presidential General Election. Specifically, registered Maryland voters have reported receiving a text message that falsely claims that the voter is not registered and urges them to click on a weblink not associated with SBE.

The text message reads: "URGENT: To vote in the upcoming election, you MUST be registered, but public records show you're not registered at [voter address]. Click the link to register before the deadline: md-voter.link/4VczM Reply Stop to end. AC"

“Election scams are a direct threat to the legitimacy of the electoral process.  They are designed to steal identities, sow distrust in the election administration and undermine confidence.,” said State Administrator Jared DeMarinis. “With election scams and disinformation on the rise nationwide, I encourage every Marylander to be vigilant of any election information sent by phone, mail and email. Any voter wishing to check their registration status or learn about the 2024 general election should visit SBE’s official website www.elections.maryland.gov. SBE is a trusted source of information on voter registration, polling locations, mail-in ballot status, and available ways to vote. Please follow us on social media for up to date information.”

SBE reminds voters that its official text messages are sent from (833) 572-1128 and will only include links to official ”.gov” websites. SBE will never ask for personal information via text message.

SBE has created a portal for citizens to report election disinformation. To report disinformation to SBE, visit https://elections.maryland.gov/press_room/Dis-Misinformation.html