Beware of Census Scams

Video Professor is a member of the Better Business Bureau with an “A” rating and we want to share this alert issued by the BBB with you.

The U.S. Better Business Bureau is warning all consumers to be on guard for online and in-person census fraudsters in the coming months.

The census questionnaire asks 10 questions. None of those questions involves personal financial information such as bank account or credit card numbers, or your Social Security number.

Watch out for phishing e-mails that claim to be from the Census Bureau, (as well as) phone calls, knocks on the door and mail, basically all forms of contact where people are asked for financially sensitive information such as your Social Security number or bank account numbers.

Already, there have been reports of people identifying themselves as census takers contacting senior citizens in Chicago and trying to extract their financial ID numbers. In the past, the fraud has been related to identify theft, gaining access to victims' bank accounts and credit card numbers.

The hottest Identity Fraud masters are now finding ways to duplicate the Census Takers ID badges and then targeting affluent neighborhoods or areas where there are lots of stay-at-home parents. A legitimate Census Taker will not ask for ANY personal information and not ask to come inside your home.

You could also receive a fake 2010 census questionnaire in the mail that requests your personal financial information. Throw it away!

So. . .bottom line. . . fill out the Census you received in the mail this month and don't give ANYONE any of your account numbers, your social security numbers, or any bank information.