Privacy and Safety Concerns

The U.S. Census Bureau has an obligation to produce accurate, relevant statistics about the nation's economy and people, but it is recognized that it is your information that is collected to produce these statistics. Therefore, residents should know that the U.S. Census Bureau takes privacy and safety concerns seriously.

Census is Completely Confidential

Information collected during the 2010 census is completely confidential. Every Census Bureau worker takes an oath for life to protect this confidentiality. Failure to do so results in a fine of $250,000 and/or up to five years in federal prison. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share an individual’s answers with anyone, including the IRS, FBI, welfare or immigration agencies.

Additionally, the Census Bureau is interested in statistical information only. The survey form collects information and is then processed electronically. Any information that could be used to identify an individual or company is removed before it is made public.

Protect Yourself from Possible Scams

All residents should take steps to ensure that the information shared is done so through the proper channels. The most convenient way in through the 2010 census questionnaire that will be mailed in February-March 2010. Households that do not return these questionnaires will then be visited by a census representative. If you are visited by someone from the U. S. Census Bureau, here are some recognition tips to ensure the validity of the field representative:

• Must present an ID Badge which contains: photograph of field representative, Department of Commerce watermark, and expiration date.
• Will provide you with supervisor contact information and/or the regional office phone number for verification, if asked.
• Will provide you with a letter from the director of the Census Bureau on U.S. Census Bureau letterhead.
• May be carrying a laptop and/or bag with a Census Bureau logo.

If you are visited, ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. Do not invite anyone you don’t know into your home, including census workers. Also, do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census. While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, it will not ask for Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers, nor will employees solicit donations.

Eventually, census workers may contact you by telephone, mail or in person at home. However, they will not contact you by e-mail, so be on the lookout for e-mail scams impersonating the census. Never click on a link or open any attachments in an e-mail that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.

When in doubt, call the Detroit Regional Office for verification at 1-800-432-1495. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.