Look for census forms to arrive in the mail in the middle of March, writes today’s Wall Street Journal, and look out for these scams:
One thing to watch for is a form or person asking for a Social Security number and financial information, such as bank-account numbers.
Another red flag: email. The Census Bureau won’t contact you by email. And the form can’t be completed online, says Census Bureau spokesman Michael Cook.
…Census takers are trained to do business outside the door, says Mr. Cook. So be wary of people trying to enter your home as well as anyone soliciting donations.
See also:
Census.gov: Fraudulent Activity and Scams
Please Complete and Return Your Federal Census Form by April 1
Northampton, MA: “2010 Federal Census Background”
In March of 2010, census forms will be delivered to every residence in the United States and Puerto Rico. When you receive yours, just answer the 10 short questions and then mail the form back in the postage-paid envelope provided. If you don’t mail the form back, you may receive a visit from a census taker, who will ask you the questions from the form. A census taker must follow-up in person with every address that doesn’t mail back the form in order to obtain the responses.