Census Bureau Scams on the Rise
The time has now come for the Census. This is definitely a time to beware of Census Bureau scams. There are many people taking advantage of others and you should be certain to remain aware of these types of people and the scams they run. The Census is done every 10 years. This means in 2010 the next Census will be taken. In the meantime there are many people revving up to use this Census taking to their advantage. However, the advantage for them will be a disadvantage for you. Because of the Census being something you are mandated to participate in, there are many who will try to trick you into thinking that they are really working on behalf of the Census Bureau. There are, however, a few things you can be on the look out for if you find approached by a Census Bureau scammer.
You should know that the Census Bureau will send questionnaires to your home through the mail or they will hand deliver the questionnaire. This will happen in March 2010 no time sooner. Therefore, if you have received anything that is “supposedly” from the Census Bureau, you can be certain that it is not legit. Also, if by any chance, you are hand delivered something that is from the Census Bureau, you will know it is really from the Census Bureau because the person delivering the document will have a badge, a Census Bureau canvas bag, a notice of confidentiality and a handheld device. If the person delivering the document to your home does not have all of these items, this should be a warning sign that they are not from the Census Bureau. If you happen to get scammer at your door or have one call you over the phone claiming to be from the Census Bureau, you should also know that the Census Bureau doesn’t have any need for your banking information, credit card information or social security number. If you are asked for any of these items, you will definitely know that the person is trying to run a scam.
You should also know that the Census Bureau would not contact you by email, as they do not see this as a reliable source of communication. The Census Bureau will call you directly, send you something in the mail or deliver something to your home. If you receive any type of email claiming to be from the Census Bureau, you should know that it is a scam and you should not respond to the email. The Census Bureau will not ask you for your tax information as well. A lot of the Census Bureau scams will play off of the IRS. You should know that the IRS and the Census Bureau do not work together. Therefore, the Census Bureau doesn’t have any need for your tax return information. Being asked for your tax information by a so called Census Bureau worker should be a red flag to let you know that it is a scam and you should not give any information away. These are the main ways scammers try to use the Census Bureau to get you to give them your personal information. If you remember these tips, you will not have to worry about being scammed.
