Tory scam to steal your data for electoral purposes

[noblegiraffe]

Local Tory parties are sending out letters asking people to sign up for postal votes, with an application form for a postal vote (genuine).

They are providing a free post envelope to send it back in.

This free post envelope does not go to the electoral services office address on the form, it goes to the local Tory party office.

They can then look at the form, see your details and know that you're wanting a postal vote (so can target you earlier in the election campaign). They will also know that you read mail from the conservatives.

Hopefully they will then pass your postal vote application form onto the correct address, but who knows?

Here's an example from twitter. People in a different area have also received one, but the free post envelope did not mention the Conservatives, it's only googling that showed the real destination.

twitter.com/markdpryan/status/1637165173734612999?s=61&t=U9XrcF693-JpMxeIueYG7g

[noblegiraffe]

@blumppump

You do realise that the person hasn't shared the whole letter?

What would you like to see that is missing?

[DownNative]

@WrigglyDonCat

Most political parties have done this for years. Labour has had a certain reputation for it in some areas, along with suggestions about how exactly the forms got filled out...

Correct. It doesn't just happen in Great Britain either - IIRC, Northern Ireland parties have done the same thing too.

[blumppump]

@DownNative they were bringing them from the graveyard in some constituencies.

[WontTheRealSlimSheldyPlsFuckoff]

Meanwhile, in other news…

[noblegiraffe]

@blumppump you don't seem to have answered my question about how the Conservatives can legally forward your information to the Electoral Registration Office given that they've legally said that they won't share it with anyone else.

[WontTheRealSlimSheldyPlsFuckoff]

Or it could just be

[noblegiraffe]

@blumppump can you also explain why you were claiming that the Tories were legally able to obtain that data from the Electoral register when they are not?

[noblegiraffe]

Re “all the parties do this” I’ve just seen on twitter someone posting their comparable mail shot from the Lib Dems.

The difference is the Lib Dem envelope goes to the correct place, and the application form hasn’t been amended as they’re not harvesting the data.

twitter.com/navinderkaur/status/1637432638565761024?s=46&t=vKGM6xpoeW3wdlaVVVagQA

[DannyZukosSmile]

I really don't give a shit, and I doubt most other people do either. You seem massively over-invested in this, very VERY angry, and insisting everybody else should agree with you. Are you OK? Serious question @noblegiraffe .

[amicissimma]

"You also don't want to be badgering people to remind them to vote if you think they're going to vote for the other guy, do you?"

Where I used to live people from one of the political parties used to knock on the door if I hadn't voted by about 8.30pm and offer me a lift to the polling station. They seemed quite happy when I accepted but said I wouldn't be voting for them.

[BadNomad]

It is shitty behaviour. They're relying on people to not notice that they are returning the form to them, rather than the electoral office. It's sneaky.

[noblegiraffe]

@DannyZukosSmile

I really don't give a shit, and I doubt most other people do either. You seem massively over-invested in this, very VERY angry, and insisting everybody else should agree with you. Are you OK? Serious question @noblegiraffe .

I've had a lovely weekend thanks, and am feeling just dandy. Your reading of my perceived tone really doesn't extrapolate to real life.

People on the first page of this thread 'banging their head' while telling me stuff that isn't true though, perhaps someone should check on them.

[L1ttledrummergirl]

I came across this last night. Yes it's worrying. It looks as though they are collecting data through fraudulent means, by purporting to be sending a genuine postal vote form but in reality sending a data request form which they state will not be passed on to anyone else.

I'm also concerned that people may not receive a postal vote as a result and so be unable to vote as they have no valid id. This would disproportionately affect people who don't vote conservative. It would be interesting to see which constituencies they are doing this in.

[MrsDanversGlidesAgain]

People on the first page of this thread 'banging their head' while telling me stuff that isn't true though, perhaps someone should check on them

I'm fine. Thanks for the concern, though. 😅

[Goinggoinggone1]

A little late to this thread but someone from the Conservative party knocked on our door today and asked DH if we wanted to opt for a postal vote. I said no but he said yes (no idea why). The man got him to sign a form and left. Didn't l3ave

[Goinggoinggone1]

Sorry phone glitched before I could finish. I was saying he didn't leave an envelope of any sort but I don't understand why he came? What do they gain out of it?

[LlynTegid]

This seems dubious behaviour. Not too dissimilar to that which led to Luftur Rahman's disqualification from office (for a period not long enough in my opinion).

@noblegiraffe I would be reporting to the Electoral Commission or checking how this behaviour can be challenged otherwise.

[DownNative]

@LlynTegid

This seems dubious behaviour. Not too dissimilar to that which led to Luftur Rahman's disqualification from office (for a period not long enough in my opinion).

@noblegiraffe I would be reporting to the Electoral Commission or checking how this behaviour can be challenged otherwise.

Go ahead. The EC have been asked about it as ýou can see if you go on their twitter account. In short, it's legal to give such a form. 🤷‍♂️