2010 Census Update
Today I am flying the South Carolina State Flag, a flag I fly when politics are relatively quiet. The 2010 Census is starting and the Better Business Bureau has put out a warning, that I share below;
Relatively Quiet
This is my second post at The Patriot Flag about the 2010 Census. In my first post, I covered the following topics in detail. You can view the first post HERE (2010 Census FAQs). It covers these topics in detail:
- Short Form, its content and purpose
- Refusal to answer information
- Long Form, its content and purpose
- Precautions when working with Census Workers
- Snopes Rumors and discussions
- “White House Controlled” data … (which may be a problem)
- Discussions with Census Workers
WARNING:
2010 Census Cautions from the Better Business Bureau
by Susan Johnson – August 3, 2009 12:07 pm
Be Cautious About Giving Info to Census Workers
With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the 2010 U.S.Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000 U.S. Census workers will count every person in the United States and will gather information about every person living at each address including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data.
The big question is – how do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice:
-
If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a hand-held device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice. - Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don’t know into your home.
- Census workers are now only knocking on doors to verify address information. Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census. While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, the Census Bureau will not ask for Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers nor will employees solicit donations.
Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail, or in person at home. However, the Census Bureau will not contact you by Email, so be on the lookout for Email scams impersonating the Census. Never click on a link or open any attachments in an Email that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau. For more advice on avoiding identity theft and fraud, visit http://www.bbb.org/us/article/10306
NOTE: This above information can be checked at SNOPES
The Bottom Line
You can never be too careful about giving personal information to a stranger. Some basic rules from the BBB include:
NEVER give personal information on a telephone.- NEVER click on a link from a census bureau email (they don’t have links)
- NEVER give your Social Security Number
- NEVER give banking information (of any kind) to anyone, including Census Workers
Please look at the first post on this subject “2010 Census FAQs” for a great deal more information.
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