Reports Of False Text Messages Crop Up In Several States

***SEE UPDATE BELOW***

This could be a cheap (if elaborate) hoax, but bloggers in multiple states are posting cell phone photos of text messages urging Obama supporters to vote on Wednesday, November 5.

First reports of the false text message came from writers in Arizona and Texas. Meanwhile, the Huffington Post received another image from a source who said he received a similar text message in Illinois. [UPDATE: Another reader in Georgia chimes in with an indentical claim.]

The new image, courtesy of St. Louis software engineer Matt Gatten, shows a phone featuring a message that reads: "Due to the long lines today, all Obama voters are asked to vote on Wednesday. Thank you! Please forward to everyone!"

Gatten said he was a "little bit mad" when he received the message. "I did a reverse look up on the number that sent it, and it came from San Antonio, Texas," Gatten told the Huffington Post. "It made me mad. They're stealing votes that way. It's like spam: if it didn't work, people wouldn't be doing it."

Of course, it's hard to believe that a large number of voters could be fooled by such a ruse. Sorting out voters by candidate would quite obviously destroy the notion of a secret ballot. But if the tactic is as widespread as it seems, it might suggest that operatives are using every last trick at their disposal -- with only a few hours left before this election is in the books for good.

UPDATE: A student at the University of Florida says the fraudulent text-message campaign has become so widespread that a campus-wide advisory has been emailed out:

Dear Students,

A number of University of Florida students have reported receiving a text
message today claiming that voting has been extended until Wednesday. This
message is NOT legitimate and it should be ignored. Voting concludes today
-- Tuesday, Nov. 4 -- and polls close at 7 p.m.

If you have any questions, please call the Alachua County Supervisor of
Elections office at 352-374-[redacted].

Patricia Telles-Irvin
Vice President for Student Affairs

Comments

[dkuz09]

Well to be fair, I got the same text message asking McCain voters to vote on Wednesday. Its basically supporters of either party sending out mass texts just to rile up the other party; I hope no one is stupid enough to fall for either, but you never know.....

[LeawoodKansas]

Pigs ... one and all.

[Frenbar]

I'm sure president Mcain will order a thorough investigation after the election.

[CTVoter08]

And WHY is this surprising?

[MarcoEsquandolas]

i think we've finally all learned that you just can't trust Ralph Nader!

[theone718]

The thing is they don't care if 99 percent of the people that read this go to vote anyway. That is still 1 percent that they got disenfranchised. It STILL won't stop this oncoming landslide.

[DrFrescas]

They need to find and prosecute people responsible for this sh*t.

[ilovemycat]

I agree. Why isn't anyone checking into this? They can send a man to the moon, but they can't make a reliable voting machine that can't be hacked or a robocall that can't be traced. Only in America can the GOP a-holes get away with this! I HATE REPUBLICANS.

[j0em0mma]

it's not like it's hard, 'specially after the people they put in power are spying on every phone call and text message

[drkazmd65]

This is rude, crude, blatant electioneering,... Those responsible should be taken out and publically flogged, and should have their own right to vote removed from them for at least 4 Presidential election cycles.

That being said,... anybody dumb enough (white, black, asian,... or purple) to fall for this at this point,... do we really want them to vote?

I mean,... really?

[miocid31]

Everyone, this is why its important we call folks to make sure they vote:

http://my.barackobama.com/call

ENOUGH!!!

[dlinguist]

"Obama voters"? Makes the scam even more transparent.

At least most of the previous efforts made it "Registered Democrats"

[MrsTarquinBiscuitbarrel]

They can't spell, either. The message says, "Please foward," not forward.

The RNC cut corners when it came to hiring a copy editor. They've misspelled words in national ads!

[xmw]

QUESTION EVERYTHING PEOPLE???

[cherlybear]

Is this not illegal?

[ABCD]

Sounds like Votor Fraud to me. Where's Acorn when you need them?

[oandjoe08]

Don't fall for the tricks people!!!! If you show up to vote, don't leave until you do...they are not going to take this one away from us!!!!!!!

[SENATORCALLENBOWE]

HAHAHAHAHA­HAHAHAHAHA­HAHAHAHAHA­HAHAHAHAHA­HAHAHAHAHA­HAHAHAHAHA­HA :)