WACO (October 15, 2012)--The Better Business Bureau warns scammers are using the upcoming election season to steal your personal information.

Health care, economic recovery and unemployment are popular topics scammers use to fraudulently mislead consumers into giving out personal information or a credit card number.

According to the BBB, scammers use holidays, big events and popular news stories to make their pitches to consumers more relevant and realistic.

A recent scam reported includes a political survey free cruise offer in which participating in a quick telephone survey wins the person a free cruise, except for port fee and taxes.

Other scams involve fundraising calls for political donations.

Numerous individuals have mistakenly given out personal information believing they are contributing to a particular campaign.

The BBB says to contribute to a campaign residents should research each organization and contact them on their own, instead of giving out financial information to someone who calls.

Scammers have also been known to “check on” a person’s eligibility to vote, asking for a Social Security number and even a credit card number.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, voter registration will be confirmed in person or voter registration forms will be mailed and financial information will never be required.

To report a scam, contact the Better Business Bureau at (512) 445-4748.