tonight a new voting scam is revealed
that could prevent registered voters
from casting their ballot here in
Michigan in November thanks for joining
us here at 6 I'm Kimberly Gil and I'm
deont Fernandez and for Deon Skilling
you know several viewers are reaching
out to help me Hank after receiving
concerning text messages over the
weekend in fact even a 12-year-old boy
received messages regarding his voting
plans for November consumer investigator
Hank Winchester is live in Detroit Hank
this is concerning
Kimberly deand it certainly is because
number one we want to make sure that
everybody who wants to vote has an
opportunity to do so we also know how
critical Michigan is in the presidential
election it all starts with these text
messages that many people have been
receiving during the last few days and
as you will see the information they're
getting well it's
concerning it starts with a text message
like this one what did you think when
you got this message Well I this is like
the third time they sent it to me mono
deang a longtime registered voter here
in Michigan says that he was actually
being encouraged to vote in another
state like Iowa the first two times I
just blew it off thinking it was spam
right and I didn't really give it a lot
of thought but then they were very
persistent and they kept sending this
message to me my help me hanang tip line
flooded with viewers calling saying they
too received suspicious text messages
about voting some say they were being
asked for their social security numbers
this woman in Detroit concerned about
the message she received but something
stopped me something told me to look at
the number it was not from Michigan it
was from Georgia this seventh grader in
Canton also got a text message about
voting in November I got a text message
saying I was registered to vote I only
12 I knew that wasn't right I didn't
click on it and I told my mom and we
deleted it and our own Caren Drew also
getting a text message that seemed
concerning we have you in our records as
not signed up to receive a ballot in the
mail and you're already registered yeah
so I did not click I actually did think
of you cuz I'm like I know we can't do
that but but this is one I think I got
about four different text messages this
weekend investigators say these thieves
may be trying to steal your identity or
impact your ability to vote in November
I received this statement from a
spokesperson for the Secretary of State
here in Michigan it reads our office has
received several complaints from
Michigan voters concerned about text
messages they've received regarding
their voter registration status our
office of Investigative Services is
reviewing the complaints and will refer
any suspected criminal activity to the
attorney general or other appropriate
law enforcement
agencies back out here live let's follow
the lead of will that 12-year-old from
katton if you get one of those messages
and it just seems suspicious something
doesn't add up just delete it once you
click that link unfortunately whether
you like it or not if somebody's trying
to get your personal information you may
have already unlocked it all for them
right then and there we're live here
tonight downtown Hank Winchester help me
Hank back to you so Hank before you go
what should people be doing if they do
still need to register to
vote yeah they need to act I mean you
need to contact your city officials or
the Secretary of State we have the full
statement from the Secretary of State
regarding our story today on our website
click on detroit.com and there also
information if you have internet access
a computer where you can go and check
the status for yourself to make sure
that you're registered ready to go to
cast that ballot in November back to you
thank we appreciate it