Census Worker or Scam Artist…Citizens Beware!

Warnings issued about identity thieves posing as census workers.

By Sid Riley

Consumer Services Commissioner, Charles Bronson, has issued warnings to Florida residents to be on the alert for a group of “scam artist” who are posing as census workers in order to gain personal information which can be used for criminal purposes.

Approximately 134 million families will be mailed census forms on March 1, as part of the national census which is taken each ten years. This form does NOT ask for your social security number, or information about your taxes or income. It does, however ask ten questions about your age, sex, race, and whether or not you own a home.

You are urged to follow the following rules of safety:

• DO NOT provide your social security number or any financial information.

• NEVER invite a census worker into your home.

• All official census workers will be carrying official government badges.

• The census bureau will not contact you by e-mail, so do not respond to any messages pretending to be from the census bureau.

• There will be NO census surveys of any kind using the internet.

However, you are urged to take part in the census. Getting correct information is important for many reasons. If you are not counted, you are causing your state and your community to lose its fair share of future funding.

For more information contact the census web site at www.census.gov, or call their assistance center at 1-866-872-6868.