Beware Of Scammers Posing As 2020 Census Takers: Police

PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, VA — Census takers will not ask residents for their Social Security numbers or credit card numbers, or political affiliation. If someone claiming to be from the Census Bureau asks these questions in person, on the phone, or by email, it's a scam, the Prince William County Police Department said in a community awareness alert.

The police aren't trying to make Census takers' jobs even more difficult than they already are. They're just putting the community on alert for people who might take advantage of residents' willingness to give out information during a Census year.

If the public has any doubt, they should ask to verify a Census taker's identity. All Census takers will have a valid ID badge with a photograph, U.S. Department of Commerce watermark and expiration date. They also may carry Census Bureau bags and other equipment with the Census Bureau logo. Furthermore, census takers will never ask to enter a resident's home, the police emphasized.

Residents should contact the regional Census Center for Virginia at 267-780-2600 if they have any questions about a person's identity.

Important dates are coming up for the 2020 Census. From March 12-20, Census forms will be mailed or delivered to homes. By April 1, every home should have received an invitation to participate in the Census. From May through July, Census takers will visit homes that haven't responded to the 2020 Census to help make sure everyone is counted.

If a person visits a resident's home in February to take down Census information, they're too early and are probably engaged in a scam.