DENVER (KDVR) — If you received a text Tuesday about verifying voter information for the next election, it’s not a scam, the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office confirmed.

A FOX31 viewer received a text message from the Secretary of State’s Office asking to confirm voter information. Despite some skepticism regarding the validity of the text, the Secretary of State’s Office confirmed for the Problem Solvers that the message was real and sent via BallotTrax.

The message asks to update information so the ballot can be sent to the right address. While the link to the Secretary of State’s Office is different, COSOS.gov is the short hyperlink used by the department, according to the office. A similar email was also sent to voters.

While you may be thinking, “I didn’t sign up for this,” it’s likely you did.

An email sent by the Colorado Secretary of State's Office asking voters to update their registration information.
An email sent by the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office asking voters to update their registration information. (Credit: KDVR)

During the 2022 general election, BallotTrax was available for every Colorado voter, and many used it. Last year, nearly 2 million Colorado voters were enrolled in BallotTrax, which made up about 52% of voters.

Voters can enroll themselves in BallotTrax by going to GoVoteColorado.gov and clicking on “Sign up for BallotTrax.”

That being said, don’t trust every message and be cautious of where you give out your information.

The Federal Communications Commission says that rules ban text messages sent to a mobile phone using an auto-dialer, unless you previously gave consent to receive the message or the message is sent for emergency purposes.

How to tell if a text is fake

Here is what the FCC said to do to try and stop these spam messages from happening:

  • Do not respond to unwanted texts from questionable sources. Several mobile service providers allow you to block the sender by forwarding unwanted texts to 7726 (or “SPAM”).
  • Be careful about giving out your mobile phone number or any other personal information.
  • Read through commercial web forms and check for a privacy policy when submitting your mobile phone number to any customer website. You should be able to opt out of receiving texts – but you may have to check or uncheck a preselected box to do so.
  • Find out if any company you do business with has a policy that allows it to sell or share your information.

BallotTrax is a program that was first implemented statewide in Colorado by Secretary of State Jena Griswold in 2020. Be sure to check if messages are a scam before you respond or click on any links.