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  • PHOTOS PROVIDED | U.S. Census Bureau A U.S. Census Bureau field representative asks a citizen questions for a census survey. The 2010 Census kicked off this month in a remote Alaskan village north of the Arctic Circle. PHOTOS PROVIDED

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  • PHOTOS PROVIDED | U.S. Census Bureau Many census takers will be utilizing handheld devices to enter data electronically. PHOTOS PROVIDED

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  • PHOTOS PROVIDED | U.S. Census Bureau Legitimate census takers will be able to produce official Census Bureau credentials. PHOTOS PROVIDED

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Discussion

February 1, 2010

Police: Beware of 2010 Census scam artists

Mark Schlachtenhaufen The Edmond Sun

EDMOND — Edmond Police have some advice for area residents: Know the differences between a legitimate 2010 Census worker and a con artist.

Officials warn that con artists may pose as census workers and Internet phishing, e-mail scams and bogus Web sites also may exist as the government begins the task of counting Americans.

Edmond Police spokeswoman Glynda Chu said legitimate census workers are there to get a count of the number of people living in the household, and information should be limited to this area of questioning. Anyone who feels threatened or uncomfortable with the person should call 9-1-1 and an officer will assist them, Chu said.

“Please make sure you don’t open your door to a stranger until you have verified they are with the Census Bureau, and be very mindful not to give them any of your personal banking information or Social Security number,” Chu said.

Dennis Johnson, a Census Bureau regional director, said census takers will come from local communities. If a census taker is at your door, he or she will show you their Census Bureau identification badge and tell residents the name of the survey for which their participation is needed, Johnson said.

The worker also will tell residents about how long the survey will take to complete, why the information they provide is important and how the Census Bureau protects the confidentiality of their answers, he said. The 2010 Census questionnaire will be one of the shortest ever; there are only 10 questions, requiring about 10 minutes to complete.

If a Census Bureau employee has called a resident and that person would like to verify the person calling is a legitimate census worker, have a question about a survey form they received or need to return a call about a survey the resident may confirm this by calling 1-800-392-6975 (Hagerstown, Md.), 1-800-523-3205 (Jefferson, Ind.) or 1-800-642-0469 (Tucson, Ariz.).

Officials also are advising Americans to be wary of phishing, e-mail scams and bogus census Web sites. The Census Bureau does not conduct the 2010 Census via e-mail or the Internet. Forward suspicious e-mail or Web site addresses to the Census Bureau at itso.fraud.reporting@

census.gov.



A greener census

Hundreds of millions of census forms have been printed and a campaign advertising the head count has begun, U.S. Census Bureau Director Robert Groves said during a recent press briefing. In March, the vast majority of Americans will receive their questionnaires at their homes, Groves said.

The goal is to have all of the questionnaires returned by April 1, Groves said. Starting in May and continuing through July, census workers will begin knocking on the doors of folks who did not return them and doing face-to-face interviews.

“We’re under a very hard deadline to return the counts of the decennial census on Dec. 31, 2010, to the president,” Groves said.

In about April 2011, the Census Bureau will distribute the data that will allow each state to redistrict for representation in the U.S. House.

Census data help influence the allocation of more than $400 billion in federal money for schools, health care and other community services. They also determine the number of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and are used to redraw state and local political district lines.

Johnson said he did not think the 2010 Census will alter state representation, but it likely would change funding, part of the reason why participating in the head count is important.

Oklahoma had a population of about 3.5 million residents, according to the 2000 census. The state’s population was 3.15 million, according to the 1990 head count.

For information about the 2010 Census, visit www.census.gov, and for information about how the agency protects your information visit www.census.gov/privacy/.



marks@edmondsun.com | 341-2121, ext. 102

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