THIS IS AN "ALERT" FOR YOUR SAFETY, READ THIS ARTICLE COMPLETELY



WARNING: 2010 Census Cautions from the Better Business Bureau

Be Cautious About Giving Info to Census Workers
by Susan Johnson


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?

BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU offers the following advice:

If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld 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 currently 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.

REMEMBER, NO MATTER WHAT THEY ASK, YOU REALLY ONLY NEED TO TELL THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE AT YOUR ADDRESS.

While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION.

The Census Bureau will not ask for Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers, nor will employees solicit donations.

Any one asking for that information is NOT with the Census Bureau.

AND REMEMBER, THE CENSUS BUREAU HAS DECIDED NOT TO WORK WITH ACORN ON GATHERING THIS INFORMATION.

No Acorn worker should approach you saying he/she is with the Census Bureau.

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 www.bbb.org

Thanks for the heads up on that I did not know that.

Good to know

even the doc office (like the vascular doc will ask for your pic id )
i went in for my check up and i had no idea they wanted to see my pic id, and they know me but the thought what counted, so i told my mom that my son needed his pic id when he goes in. so next time i go in i have to bring my id..

Thanks for the info! I don't give much creedence to census data collected because of the percentage of cuckoo birds out there that probably mess with the census takers and give false info anyway. Maybe that's already considered.

They will be mailing out questionaires also so it maybe easier to just mail it back in so noone can come to the door.

Even those that do respond to the questionnaire may be visited at random by census employees.

The more I learn of how this government works, government officials, their employees, their agendas, their supposed purposes, their actual works - I trust no one. Especially with my private info, I could give a hoot about these employees taking an oath - so has every president, every elected official, every public official, every civil employee, etc.

Want my info, make an appointment w/my secretary