The Better Business Bureau, in its consumer alert dated May 5, 2009, offers guidelines to protect yourself from imposters posing as U.S. Census workers in order to steal your identity.
The 2010 U.S. Census will require hundreds of thousands of government employees to gather sensitive information from each household occupant. You are required by law to answer their questions. Unfortunately, this is the opportune time for criminals to impersonate U.S. Census workers in order to steal your personal and financial information. The Better Business Bureau offers the following tips to protect your self against identify theft:
1. U.S. Census workers can be identified by their badge, handheld device, Census Bureau canvas bag, and will carry a confidentiality notice. Be sure to verify their badge and identification before answering any questions.
2. Census Workers will only gather address information on door to door visits. U.S. Census workers do not need to enter your home.
3. The Census Bureau will not ask for your social security number, bank account numbers, or credit card numbers. They will ask for vague financial information such as household salaries.
4. The Census Bureau will NOT email you. Official workers will only contact you by phone, door to door, or mail.
Erin