Stop Fraud

Quick Tips — 2010 Census

The U.S. Census process will begin mid-March 2010.

It's important to fill out your census form and mail it back to the Census Bureau. If you do not, census workers will show up at your doorstep.

The census form DOES NOT ask about legal status, Social Security numbers, or bank account numbers.

You cannot fill out the census online.

The Census Bureau will NOT contact you by email.

Census workers will never solicit for donations.

Identity Thieves Expected To Pose As Census Takers

With the U.S. Census process beginning soon in mid-March 2010, LFCU would like to warn our members that there will be individuals who will use the census process to obtain personal and banking information. Please be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft.

About the U.S. Census

The 2010 Census will collect important information that is used to reapportion congressional seats to states and directly affects how more than $400 billion per year in federal funding is distributed to state, local and tribal governments. By law, everyone in the United States, both citizens and noncitizens, must be counted every 10 years and the Census Bureau cannot share respondents' answers with anyone, including other federal agencies and law enforcement entities.

The Census Form

The 2010 Census form, one of the shortest forms in history, asks 10 questions and takes about 10 minutes to complete. The mailing package from the Census Bureau consists of the 10-question form and a postage-paid envelope that is only mailed to Phoenix, AZ (an actual envelope is shown below).

Responses to the census form should include everyone at that address and will be questions such as:

  • Name
  • Sex
  • Age
  • Date of birth
  • Hispanic origin
  • Race
  • Household relationship
  • If you own or rent

The census form DOES NOT ask about legal status, Social Security numbers, or bank account numbers.

The census is safe. Your answers are protected by law and are not shared with anyone. The Census Bureau safeguards all census responses to the highest security standards available.

Households should complete and mail back their forms upon receipt. If you do not complete the form, census workers will have to visit your household to get a count in-person. It's critical that you take just 10 minutes to fill out and mail back your form rather than wait for a census worker to show up on your doorstep. About $85 million in taxpayer dollars are saved for every one percent increase in mail response.

The Census Workers

In the event that you do not complete and mail back your census form, census workers will begin to contact you. This contact may be by telephone, mail, or in person at home.

The Census Bureau will NOT contact you by email. Some emails may instruct you to go to a link where you can complete the census form. Never click on a link or open any attachments in an email that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau. YOU CANNOT FILL OUT THE CENSUS FORM ONLINE.

How do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist?

If a census worker does visit your household ask to see their identification badge before answering their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don't know into your home. Follow the guidelines below if you are contacted by a Census worker:

  • Census Field Representatives will be going door-to-door from April to July 2010.
  • Verify that the Census Representative does work for the U.S. Census Bureau. See below for example ID badges.
  • They should be able to provide you with supervisor contact information and/or the Regional Office phone number for verification and letter from the Census Bureau Director on official letterhead, if asked.
  • The field representative may be carrying a laptop and/or bag with a Census Bureau logo.

Field representatives will never ask you for your social security number, bank account number, or credit card number. Census workers also never solicit for donations and will never contact you by e-mail.

Langley Continues to Protect You

LFCU wants to insure the safety of your financial information doesn't fall into the hands of scammers, phisers, and con artists. If you think that you have divulged personal information to someone other than the US Census Bureau, contact us so we can safeguard your accounts.

*This information was provided by the US Census Bureau.