Posted on 06/29/2009 3:35:05 PM PDT by FromLori
For years, Better Business Bureau has educated consumers about not giving out personal information over the telephone or to anyone who shows up at their front door. With the U.S. Census process beginning, 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.
“Most people are rightfully cautious and won’t give out personal information to unsolicited phone callers or visitors, however the Census is an exception to the rule,” said Steve Cox, BBB spokesperson. “Unfortunately, scammers know that the public is more willing to share personal data when taking part in the Census and they have an opportunity to ply their trade by posing as a government employee and soliciting sensitive financial information.”
The Census data will be used to allocate more than $300 billion in federal funds every year, as well as determine a State’s number of Congressional representatives. Households are actually required by law to respond to the Census Bureau’s request for information.
During the U.S. Census, households will be contacted by mail, telephone or visited by a U.S. Census worker who will inquire about the number of people living in the house. Unfortunately, people may also be contacted by scammers who are impersonating Census workers in order to gain access to sensitive financial information such as Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers. Law enforcement in several states have issued warnings that scammers are already posing as Census Bureau employees and knocking on doors asking for donations and Social Security numbers.
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 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. While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, it 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, they will not contact you by e-mail, so be on the look out for e-mail scams impersonating the Census. Never click on a link or open any attachments in an e-mail that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.
For more advice on avoiding identity theft and fraud, visit www.bbb.org
All they are going to get from me is how many people live in my house.
If they want anything else, they can go and pound salt.
“All they are going to get from me is how many people live in my house. If they want anything else, they can go and pound salt.”
Absolutely...we should all agree on that...number of people...it is what the census is for...
Oh, thank you! My salary range is none of their damn business!
I will avoid these people like they had the plague...
Identity theft is something to watch out for, but why not be cautious around real census-takers as well? They don’t have any right whatsoever to compel answers for almost all the questions they ask, since Constitution doesn’t empower them to do so. Also, they will end up moving more money around than thieves based on the information. Not your personal money, but more money in general.
A census taker once tried to test me....
People need to be warned about this, especially the elderly.
Here in PA. last week, an elderly women heard footsteps on her roof. A little later, 2 guys were at her door saying they had just completed her roof work as required by federal law, and she now owed them $10,000. They offered to drive her to the bank to get the cash. She did, they took the cash, and took off. Later she called a friend who came over to check it out—nothing had been done to the roof.
Some old people are very very naive.
Related thread:
Obama’s Census to castrate American Caucasians
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2281012/posts
At least we won’t have to return to the town of our birth to register as in the Roman Census. What a problem that would cause for ‘guess who’?
I will ask them if they belong to ACORN.
If they say yes, or get nervous, I will refuse to talk to them and tell them to send out an honest person.
Oops.
I’d better put that “Canebrake Rattlesnacks, Cottonmouth Moccasins, Copperheads - Use Caution”
sign back up if I’m getting visitors.
My swamp does not appear exactly hospitable for newbies.
Thanks! No “White” construction workers Racism seems to be pervasive in the smelly ones administration
Exactly, the list I saw on another thread ...none of these folks are what I would call ‘clean.’
They will only get the number of people living here. End of story.
Declaration To Make To Census Takers
“I hereby affirm that the provisions of Title 13 ``requiring’’ me to disclose my race, personal financial data, birthdate, or any other personal, private information to the Bureau of the Census, an agency of the United States government; constitutes an unreasonable, unwarranted search of my person, house, papers, and/or effects; and a governmental invasion of the sanctity of my home and the privacies of life. As such, these provisions violate the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution, and are thus wholly void and I am not bound to obey them.
I have completed the only those sections of the Census form pertaining to the Constitutionally-mandated actual enumeration, as follows:
The actual number of people living at the address printed on the form, excluding untaxed Native Americans;
Age of each person in accordance with US Const. Amendment XIV, Section 2.
Sex of each person, in accordance with US Const. Amendment XIV, Section 2.
I have thus fulfilled my obligation to the attainment of the actual enumeration of the populace of the United States.
Any fine or other sanction that is levied by any office or organization stemming from the unconstitutional provisions of Title 13 in connection with my response to this or any other Census-related questioning will be challenged in a court of law.”
http://www.lizmichael.com/census.htm
Meanwhile, Bernie Madhoff committed the worst crime in history.
Hold it rah chair!
You men from the bank?
And Daddy tolt me I’m to shoot whosoever from the bank!
I’m also suppose to shoot folks servin’ papers!
I nicked the census man!
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