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Monadnock Guide
Council of Elders

USA

Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
March 14 2005

Status: offline

Posted - October 29 2009 : 07:31:48 AM

2010 Census to Begin

THIS IS PRETTY BASIC ADVICE; BUT, IN TODAY'S TIMES, I CAN SEE IT COULD LEAVE AN OPEN DOOR FOR PASSING OUT YOUR PRIVATE INFORMATION.

WARNING: 2010 Census Cautions from the Better Business Bureau

Be Cautious About Giving Info to Census Workers by Susan Johnson

With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft.. The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000 U.S. Census workers will count every person in the United States and will gather information about every person living at each address including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data.

The big question is - how do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census
worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice:

If a U.S. . Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don't know into your home.

Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information. Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census.

REMEMBER, NO MATTER WHAT THEY ASK, YOU REALLY ONLY NEED TO TELL THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE AT YOUR ADDRESS.

While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION. The Census Bureau will not ask for Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers, nor will employees solicit donations. Any one asking for that information is NOT with the Census Bureau.

AND REMEMBER, THE CENSUS BUREAU HAS DECIDED NOT TO WORK WITH ACORN ON GATHERING THIS INFORMATION.. No Acorn worker should approach you saying he/she is with the Census Bureau.

Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail, or in person at home. However, the Census Bureau will not contact you by Email, so be on the lookout for Email scams impersonating the Census.

Never click on a link or open any attachments in an Email that are
supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.

For more advice on avoiding identity theft and fraud, visit www.bbb.org

PLEASE SHARE THIS INFO WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

you can keep "The Change"

report to moderator

Wilderness Woman
Watcher of the Wood

USA

Bumppo's Patron since [at least]:
November 27 2002

Status: offline

Donating Member

Posted - October 29 2009 : 09:09:01 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Monadnock Guide

...REMEMBER, NO MATTER WHAT THEY ASK, YOU REALLY ONLY NEED TO TELL THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE AT YOUR ADDRESS.

Hmmmmm...... I don't know who Susan Johnson is, or where she got her information. But, I believe she is wrong on this statement.

I was a Census Taker in 1980, when I lived up in the North Country of New York. I covered a good bit of St. Lawrence County. We were told to tell people that they were required by U.S. law to answer all of the questions on the form.

I just checked on the 2010 Census website, and I found this in their FAQ section.

Do I have to fill the form in?
Yes. Respondents are required by law to answer all questions to the best of their ability.

Title 13

Sec. 221. Refusal or neglect to answer questions; false answers

(a) Whoever, being over eighteen years of age refuses or willfully neglects, when requested by the Secretary, or by any other authorized officer or employee of the Department of Commerce or bureau or agency thereof acting under the instructions of the Secretary or authorized officer, to answer, to the best of his knowledge, any of the questions on any schedule submitted to him in connection with any census or survey provided for by subchapters I, II, IV, and V of chapter 5 of this title, applying to himself or to the family to which he belongs or is related, or to the farm or farms of which he or his family is the occupant, shall be fined not more than $100.

(b) Whoever, when answering questions described in subsection (a) of this section, and under the conditions or circumstances described in such subsection, willfully gives any answer that is false, shall be fined not more than $500. (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, no person shall be compelled to disclose information relative to his religious beliefs or to membership in a religious body.

Title 13 is the law under which the Census Bureau operates. The law guarantees the confidentiality of census information, and establishes penalties for disclosing this information. This is a Federal Law.

This seems pretty clear to me. The question is, of course, would the Census Taker turn you in if you refuse to answer or give false information? Unlikely. Would the Census Bureau notice? ~ shrug ~ Possible.

I remember one home that I stopped at. The people had not returned their forms, so I had to do a visit. The couple were not happy when I nicely told them they were required by law to answer the questions. But, they did answer them. Unfortunately, they were so outrageous that I knew they were false. They closed with, "There. Let's see what that does to their statistics." I just said "Thank you" and left.

I told my supervisor about it, and she just shrugged and said, "What are you going to do?" They were not turned in.

Having been on the other side of the Census Fence, I have very mixed feelings about this. On the one hand, I feel that I want to cooperate with my government. But on the other hand, I dislike giving out so much of my personal information, some of which makes absolutely no sense. Why should it matter how many bathrooms I have in my house? That doesn't affect the number of representatives I have in Congress, which was the original purpose of the Census.

What to do???

I guess I will decide when I take a look at my census form.

"It is more deeply stirring to my blood than any imaginings could possibly have been."