The U.S. Census Bureau is warning of phishing and other scams that are using the 2010 Census as bait. Here is the warning from the bureau’s web site:
If you are contacted for any of the following reasons — Do Not Participate. It is NOT the U.S. Census Bureau.
Phishing:
‘Phishing’ is the criminally fraudulent process of attempting to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, social security numbers, bank account or credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Phishing is typically carried out by email and it often directs users to enter sensitive information at a fake web site whose look and feel are almost identical to the legitimate one.
Other Scams:
- The Census Bureau does NOT conduct the 2010 Census via the Internet
- The Census Bureau does not send emails about participating in the 2010 Census
The Census Bureau never:
- Asks for your full social security number
- Asks for money or a donation
- Sends requests on behalf of a political party
- Requests PIN codes, passwords or similar access information for credit cards, banks or other financial accounts.
More Census Bureau info on scams here.