Voter list update scam: How fraudsters are tricking citizens and one mistake you should always avoid

Voter ID cards

If your phone has been buzzing with calls about voter list updates, you’re not alone. As the summary revision of electoral rolls is happening across the country ahead of the upcoming 2026 elections. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are visiting homes to fill out SIR forms.

And right alongside this official process, a new scam has started doing the rounds— something you should be aware about.
Citizens updating their details through the standard SIR (Survey/Specific Information Report) form are reporting unexpected calls from people claiming to be part of the verification team. These callers insist that an OTP has been sent to the citizen’s phone and must be shared immediately to “confirm voter list updates.”

Let’s become aware first

During the genuine voter list update exercise, BLOs (Booth Level Officers) do visit homes to collect information and fill out the SIR form. They are authorised to take your phone number and Aadhaar details as part of the documentation process. But the procedure never involves sending or requesting an OTP. No verification code, no digital confirmation, and no SMS-based approval is required at any stage of updating voter details. And, the last line is exactly what you need to remember always to prevent the scam from happening.

Voter list update scam: How this works
During the voter list update process, fraudsters are calling citizens and pretending to be officials handling SIR form verification. They claim the voter details have been updated and an OTP has been sent for confirmation. This is false. The official voter roll update does not require any OTP at any stage. BLOs may collect your phone number and Aadhaar details during the home visit, but they never ask for a verification code. Scammers use the OTP trick to access your accounts or personal data. If anyone calls asking for an OTP related to voter updates, disconnect immediately.

Citizens are being advised to follow a simple rule:
If someone calls asking for an OTP related to voter list updates, the safest response is to refuse and disconnect.

The official process remains entirely offline — a BLO visits your home, fills out the form, takes your basic details, and submits it. There is no OTP step, no SMS verification, and no request for digital approval.

With scams becoming increasingly sophisticated, staying cautious during routine civic processes is more important than ever. If anything feels off or overly urgent, it’s better to stop, verify independently, and only then proceed.