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censusscamsFor years consumers have been warned about protecting their personal information to avoid falling victim to identity theft or credit card fraud. We have learned how to avoid falling for internet, email and phishing scams. This makes consumers particularly wary of individuals or entities that try to gather personal information however one process which you are legally required to cooperate in is the U.S. Census.

The United States government has rolled out the first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census which will go on from 15-18 months. During that time U.S. Census workers will begin the daunting task of surveying every person in every household. The information they gather will be used to determine the allocation of funds from the government to best serve population needs.

The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers to be on the lookout for con artists posing as U.S. Census workers. The following tips will help you tell the difference between a scam or a legitamite U.S. Census worker collecting data.

  • Method of contact- U.S. Census workers will contact you by mail, telephone or in person, however they will not contact you via email. If you are contacted by email by someone requesting information for the U.S. Census do not reply or disclose personal information.
  • Request Identification- If you are contacted at home by a person claiming to work for the U.S. Census, ask to see identification before answering any questions. Legitimate census workers are required to carry and present identification in the form of a hand held device or document confirming the represent the U.S. Census department. Do not be embarrassed to ask for this proof, it is your right and responsibility to confirm identification before proceeding.
  • Professional and polite- While it is true that many con artists are personable, you should be wary of anyone who becomes aggressive or intimidating when asking questions. If you feel something is “just not right” with the manner the official conducts himself, you have the right to refuse answering questions and report the matter to authorities.
  • Non Relevant Questions- The purpose of the U.S. Census is to gather demographic information including name, age, gender, race, ethnic origin, date of birth, employment status and other relevant data. Census workers should not ask for your social security number, credit card or banking information. If you are asked to provide this information from anyone, census worker or otherwise you should be advised that information is not part of the census and should not be given out to anyone.
  • Money Requests- Census workers are authorized to collect data, not money. They may not ask you for money or imply that you owe the government money. Even if you do in fact owe the government money Census workers are not dispatched to collect it along with data. Do not give money to anyone claiming it is part of the census process.


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