The FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency are urging election officials and the American public to watch for deceptive emails and text messages ahead of November’s US midterm elections.
An alert published on October 16, 2026, warns that malicious actors could use phishing and text-message scams to steal login credentials and sensitive information. The agencies identified election administrators, candidates and political organizations as potential targets because of their access to voter information and campaign material. ic3.gov
AI Can Make Fraudulent Messages More Convincing
According to the supplied Reuters report, the warning highlights how artificial intelligence can help attackers produce more persuasive messages.
A fraudulent email or text may appear professional, familiar or relevant to election work. That presentation can make it harder for recipients to recognize an attempt to obtain confidential information.
The concern is the use of AI to strengthen an existing deception technique—not evidence that every suspicious message involves AI.
Phishing and Smishing Explained
Phishing uses deceptive communications, commonly emails, to persuade recipients to disclose information, open malicious files or visit fraudulent websites.
Smishing applies similar methods through text messages.
CISA’s election-security guidance explains that attackers can use political events to attract attention and encourage people to click links or download files. CISA
Why Election Workers and Campaigns Are Targets
Election-related organizations handle information that can be valuable to attackers. Their communications also involve time-sensitive requests, documents and coordination with other people.
That creates opportunities for fraudulent messages to blend into legitimate work.
The Warning Does Not Establish a Successful Attack
The alert describes potential threats and techniques used during previous election cycles. It should not be interpreted as confirmation that attackers have compromised the upcoming midterms or altered election results.
Its immediate purpose is to encourage awareness before officials and voters encounter suspicious communications.
Readers Should Verify Unexpected Requests
The warning makes the origin of a message more important than how polished it looks.
An unexpected request for a password, sensitive document or urgent account action deserves independent verification. Rather than relying on contact details or links within a questionable message, recipients can use an established official channel to check whether the request is genuine.
Election staff should also follow their organization’s procedures for reporting suspicious communications.
As the November elections approach, the central concern is straightforward: increasingly convincing messages can still be fraudulent, and familiar language alone does not establish that a sender is trustworthy.