Scam Artists Posing As Census Workers

KWQC ^ | Nov 20, 2009

[nickcarraway]

The Better Business Bureau is issuing a warning. They say con artists impersonating census workers are trying to steal your personal information. To protect yourself from identity theft there are a few things you can do. The most important one is asking for the census worker's badge. "Do they have the proper paperwork, badges, bills of sale that they need to make sure they check out before they let somebody enter their home," says Major Mike Brown with the Scott County Sheriff's Department.

A badge isn't the only way to verify a census worker. They also carry a canvas bag that identifies them, a small hand held computer and a confidentiality note. "They will not ask for any information about where you bank, your credit cards if anybody asks you that it's a red flag. It's a sign your dealing with someone who's trying to scam you," says Chris Coleman, President of the Better Business Bureau of Iowa and the Quad Cities.

Census workers won't ask to enter your home. If someone posing as a worker does, it's advised you question their motives. Major Brown adds, "Are they trying to do something once they're in there. Are they trying to hurt somebody, are they trying to get the layout of the residence, so they can come back later on."

There are workers out now verifying addresses. At the beginning of the year, you'll receive a questionnaire, the Better Business Bureau says it's better to mail the form back right away. If you don't that's when a census worker will visit your home. "That's why we strongly encourage people to receive written materials when they receive it after the first of the year," says Coleman.

Another scam to be aware of is in your e-mail. The census form will only arrive by mail. Coleman adds, "Those are all a scam and no one should open up an email."

If you do encounter someone posing as a census worker, you should call the police and the Better Business Bureau. That way both agencies can track where the con artists are.

[freekitty]

Like we are suppose to believe them with who Obama has hired. No thanks.

[JoanneSD]

What happened to the acorn workers...

[wastedyears]

So what happens if somebody doesn’t send the mail back, and refuses to talk to a census worker?

[babygene]

I would suggest that even if they have a badge, look at it an declare it to be fraudulent and tell them to get to hell off your property.

[kingu]

A census worker has no need to ever enter your home, so save your time and trouble and simply tell the person that they are trespassing, pick up the phone, and call the cops. After they verify that they actually are a census worker, demand the officer issue a notice of trespass to the worker, subjecting that worker to arrest if they return and re-enter your property. Do not accept a ‘no’ from the officer, you are a property holder, and it is your legal right to demand that notice be issued, and enforced.

Better yet, just fill out the census form, enumerating the number of people who live in the home, as soon as you get it, and feel free to leave other fields blank. Failure to return that form is the number one cause of census workers showing up at your door.

[chris37]

Census worker in my house?

Fat chance.

[UCANSEE2]

Here’s what you do if they show up at your door.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XtuPvwBa2U

[thecabal]

Better yet, eject anyone claiming to be a Census worker from your property immediately.

[MIchaelTArchangel]

We have a Kenyan posing as the president, so it’s only natural the Nigerians will want to pose as census workers.

[SledgeCS]

If and when they come to door I will answer honestly, there are 2 people living here. Thank you do not come back here again...

[gwilhelm56]

I don’t believe The CENSUS Workers are Census Workers..
Thanks to FUHRER OBAMA.. Census workers are liable to be met with a 12 gauge double barrel (I don’t have to tell them it hasn’t been fired since the end of the CIVIL WAR!)

[Salvation]

ACORN workers?

[max americana]

The census itself is a scam so there’s no difference.

[presently no screen name]

That’s all this is needed? Number of people in the home?

[Duaine]

Title 13, Section 221 (Census, Refusal or neglect to answer questions; false answers) of the United States Code reads:

(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 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.
(U.S. citizens living outside the United States are not required to respond to the census.)

In other words, you can be fined up to $100 for not answering and up to $500 for lying on the census form.

[pandoraou812]

I am going to do mine by mail. And if anybody knocks on my door I will just do what I do now. Peek & see who it is. If I like you I answer my door. If not I just don’t answer.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

I'll Send Harley To The Door!!! Pffffffftttt!!!...;0)

[benewton]

Given that I’m wearing pants, I always have the .40 S&W available for immediate discussion.

If I don’t like the looks of things, I’ll have the AR with 30 rounds in addition to the basics.

Two voters live here, that’s all you need to know, and away you go!

Trying to get into my home will get you shot.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

LMAO,,,Maybe I’ll just answer the door NEEKID!!!

With my Mossberg Model 88...;0)

[arbooz]

Even before we get to 12 GA, here's someone in my family who ALWAYS welcomes strangers on the property...

[pyx]

Click on the URL to get the PDF version of the questionaire I got from CENSUS.GOV

The questions go far beyond asking how many people reside in your home. The questions include asking for your telephone number.
The census taker will already have the exact address of the residence.

According to the PDF, the census taker or ACORN volunteer will ask; the specific ages of all the residents of your home, the exact names and middle initials of all the residents, whether you own or rent your residence, the relationship of the other occupants to you, if they were adopted, the race of the occupants, their gender, their military service, if they are in jail, if they are old, or in child custody.

According to results of searches on Google, stealing someone's identity minimally requires, a full name, someone's date of birth, their address and their phone number. Someone's SSN makes theft easier but is not necessary.

[RushLake]

The answer that the census “worker” will receive at our house is “2”. If they are lucky, they may get another answer, Article 1, Section 8.

[mkjessup]

Screw that sh*t. The federal government ceased to have any legal or moral authority as of this past January 20th when TKU* illegally seized the Oval Office.

[*TKU = The Kenyan Usurper]

[Eye of Unk]

[Movemout]

the commerce dept,who supervise the census, severed their contractual relationship with acorn early in the scandal over acorn’s improprieties.

[sergeantdave]

“A census worker has no need to ever enter your home, so save your time and trouble and simply tell the person that they are trespassing, pick up the phone, and call the cops. “

Let’s be a bit more creative. Call the cops and tell them there’s a man with a gun on your front porch. That’ll give SWAT some exercise.

[lowbridge]

Do they have the proper paperwork, badges, bills of sale

And how can the average person tell the fakes from the real things?

[bikerman]

Good morning, there are 2 legal adults living here, goodby have a nice day.

[Typelouder]

The Commerce Department no longer oversees the census. One of the first things Obama did when he took office was to move the control of the census to the Whitehouse. New Hampshire Republican Senator Judd Gregg withdrew his name for the Commerce Secretary position over it.

[VRWCtaz]

To add to your list of actions, I would suggest pulling out the cell phone and taking a picture of the census worker. For some reason this really seems to bother folks that are up to no good.

[presently no screen name]

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

Thanks. So we have to answer all questions, except about religion.

[AAABEST]

If someone posing as a worker does, it's advised you question their motives. Major Brown adds, "Are they trying to do something once they're in there. Are they trying to hurt somebody, are they trying to get the layout of the residence, so they can come back later on."

Well gee Major Brown, I never would have thought that a census worker trying to hurt one of my family members would be cause for concern until I read that. But now, if a census worker tries to hurt someone in my household, I'll immediately become suspicious.

Thanks for the tip.

[ops33]

A couple of months ago I had a person enter my driveway stating that she was a census worker. When I asked for a badge she showed me a plastic card with the Census logo on it, no photo. She also showed me a census tote bag I told her to leave and called the sheriff with a description of her car and the license number. Never did hear anything back on it.
Do census workers carry photo ID?

[calex59]

"Do they have the proper paperwork, badges, bills of sale that they need to make sure they check out before they let somebody enter their home,"

You don't need to let census workers into your home. You should get the paper work, answer the population questions, forget the rest of them, mail it back and if they come back run them off. Legal or not they have no right to come into your home for any reason.

[calex59]

Sorry, but the only questions you legally have to answer are the population questions. They won't fine you, they won't jail you. Be a chicken sh** if you want, but don't try to scare the rest of us with BS.

I know people who never mail theirs back and all that happens is census workers come to their house asking them about it, they say they mailed it and it must have gotten lost in the mail. That's it. No fine, no jail, no more hassel. I answer but only answer the questions pertaining to population, the government has no constitutional right to force you to answer the other questions.

[P.O.E.]

Census employee application test (practice version) (in pdf format)

[P.O.E.]

What if a census worker resigns but doesn’t turn in his id?

[Movemout]

THANKS for the update