2020 Census: Avoiding Fraud and Scams
Mark your calendar. By mid-March, homes across the country will begin receiving invitations to complete the 2020 Census short questionnaire. Once the questionnaire arrives, you should respond for your home in one of three ways: online, by phone, or by mail. By April 1, on Census Day, every home should have received this questionnaire. When you respond to the census, you’ll tell the Census Bureau where you live as of April 1, 2020.
Throughout April, census takers will begin visiting college students who live on campus, people living in senior centers and others who live among large groups of people. Census takers also begin conducting quality check interviews to help ensure an accurate count.
The Census count is mandated by the U.S. Constitution (Article 1, Section 2) and conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, a nonpartisan government agency, every 10 years to count the nation’s population. The 2020 Census counts the population in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands). Each home will receive an invitation to respond to a short questionnaire—online, by phone, or by mail.
Statistical data compiled by the census provides critical information that lawmakers, business owners, teachers, and many others use to provide daily services, products, and support for you and your community. Every year, billions of dollars in federal funding is distributed to hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and other resources based on census data.
The 2020 Census will mark the 24th time that the country has counted its population since 1790.
The results of the census also determine the number of seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives, and they are used to draw congressional and state legislative districts.
It’s also in the Constitution: Article 1, Section 2, mandates that the country conduct a count of its population once every 10 years.
Avoiding Internet Fraud and Scams
The Census Bureau is committed to making the 2020 Census quick, easy, and safe for all participants filling out nine questions on this questionnaire. Here are some tips to help you stay safe filling out the questionnaire on-line.
Watch out for phishing, a criminal act in which someone tries to get your information by pretending to be an entity that you trust. Phishing emails often direct you to a website that looks real but is fake—and may be infected with malware.
It is important for you to know that the Census Bureau will not send unsolicited emails to request your participation in the 2020 Census. Further, during the upcoming 2020 Census, the Census Bureau will never ask for your Social Security number, your bank account or credit card numbers, or solicit money or donations.
The Census Bureau notes that you may be called as part of their follow-up and quality control efforts. They also might call if you’re not home when a census taker stops by or when a personal visit is not convenient. Calls will come from one of the Census Bureau’s contact centers or from a field representative. Visit “How to Identify a Phone Call from the U.S. Census Bureau” by going to www.census.gov/programs-surveys/surveyhelp/verify-a-survey.html#call.
If someone visits your home to collect a response for the 2020 Census, also verify their identity. Make sure that they have a valid ID badge, with their photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date. But, if you still have questions as to their legitimacy, call 800-923-8262 to speak with a local Census Bureau representative. If it is determined that the visitor who came to your door does not work for the Census Bureau, contact your local police department.