Election Season PAC Scams

There are thousands of political action committees, or PACs, registered with the Federal Election Commission (FEC). PACs fundraise and solicit donations to campaign for or against federal candidates for office, to promote public action on political issues, and to support political parties.

(Note: PACs are not charities, but as long as the money is spent on political activity, PACs can also solicit and accept donations from the public.)

Unfortunately, bad actors also create PACs. These ill-intentioned PACs also solicit donations but little to no money raised is spent on political campaigning. Instead, PAC scammers pocket the money for themselves. Sometimes, a single scammer might create dozens of fake PACs at a time!

PAC scammers often ask for small donations totaling less than $200 so they can avoid disclosing donor information to the FEC, which makes it harder for law enforcement officials to identify them and their victims. They may even disguise their PACs as non-PAC charities to solicit well-intentioned donations. In some cases, PAC scammers claim they will match contributions to attract donors excited to support the PAC’s cause or candidate.

Some PAC scammers may utilize voice cloning technology to mimic a political candidate’s voice, which could lend legitimacy to their operation. In February 2024, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) banned robocalls from using this tool, but scammers are unlikely to respect this ruling. Even if you hear the voice of a candidate or celebrity, remember it may not actually be them. It is recommended you donate to candidates and organizations through their official websites, not over an unsolicited call.

You should be cautious if a PAC:

· Does not, or is unable to, list the names and contact info of its leadership/organizers.

· Only accepts donations via mail to a PO Box, through peer-to-peer payment apps like PayPal and Venmo, or through cryptocurrency.

· Fails their legal requirement to ask if you are either a U.S. citizen or green card holder.

· Is not filed with the FEC. Visit fec.gov to learn more about any PAC and how it spends its money, or to check whether an unfamiliar charity asking for your donation is actually registered as a PAC. If your phone number is on the Wisconsin Do Not Call Registry, please keep in mind that phone calls requesting charitable donations or for political causes are exempt from those no-call requirements