Watch out for U.S. Census scams!
The big United States census happens once every 10 years, on years ending in zero. The next census is scheduled to take place in 2020. Unfortunately, scammers can use this as an opportunity to steal your personal information.
Census scams are simple: the scammers pose as U.S. Census Bureau workers and ask questions to try to get your personal information. There are various ways scammers can do this, such as sending fake surveys in the mail, setting up fake websites to pose as the real Census Bureau, calling on the phone, or even knocking on doors.
The real U.S. Census Bureau does ask for personal information, such as the full names and dates of birth for every household member. But the Census Bureau will NOT ask questions about how much money is in your bank account, credit card numbers, account numbers, passwords, income, your mother’s maiden name, what time you leave for work and return from work, or other questions where the answers might prove useful to burglars or identity thieves. The Census Bureau will NOT ask for money, donations or anything on behalf of a political party.
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If you are contacted about the Census, please take the following steps to protect yourself. Below are tips for Census contacts involving (A) mail, (B) phone, (C) home visits, and (D) email.
A. If you receive mail regarding the U.S. Census: | ||
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B. If you receive a phone call regarding the U.S. Census: | ||
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Most Census Bureau calls come from one of the following numbers:
The caller will identify themselves and the name of the census survey. If they are unable to reach you, they will leave a message with a case ID associated with your census survey. To verify that a number is from the Census Bureau, you can call the National Processing Center at one of the following numbers:
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C. If someone visits your home with a survey: | ||
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Less than 1% of U.S. households will be counted in person by a census worker. This is usually done in very remote areas. If someone visits your home, below are some ways you can verify that they are a legitimate U.S. Census Bureau worker.
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Census Bureau Staff Search | |
To verify that a person is a Census Bureau field representative, you can enter their name in the Census Bureau Staff Search at https://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/main/email.cgi. This is a database that lists name and contact information for all Census Bureau employees. |
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D. If you receive an e-mail regarding the U.S. Census: | ||
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