BBB Warns about U.S. Census Job Recruiting Scams - Tamarack Neighborhood Watch (TNW)

(Lake Havasu City, AZ – February 3, 2020) The U.S. Census Bureau is frequently recruiting to fill thousands of temporary positions and Better Business Bureau (BBB) warns job seekers to beware of scams. Scammers post about open census jobs on the web and social media, then ask to be paid fees for applications, training and may request personal information. Federal agencies never charge fees for applications or identification. These scams can be hard to spot and easy to fall for because consumers want to fulfill their civic duty and participate, but with so many impersonators, it is crucial to know how the scams work and how to avoid them.

BBB Shares How the Scam Works:

The Census Bureau, like many organizations, has its fair share of imposters but knowing how the bureau operates can help you be better prepared. They will also not charge you for training or ask you to buy any equipment you may need.

The Census Bureau may request information through the following communication outlets...phone, email, mail, fax and in-person. However, there are only three ways to reply to the census: phone, mail or online. The official website of the bureau is census.gov; the homepage for the 2020 census is 2020census.gov.

Some of the information requested is personal, but the Census Bureau states they will NEVER ask for a full social security number, money, donations, anything on behalf of a political party, full bank or credit account numbers or personally identifiable information.

BBB Tips to Avoid Census Scams:

If consumers get mail they can check the return address is Jeffersonville, Indiana. If they continue to question the authenticity of the letter or form, potential victims can call the regional office for the state they are located in, to verify the household survey. For business surveys please visit our business help site or contact the National Processing Center to verify the caller is an actual employee.
If someone visits your residence to complete a survey, check first for a valid U.S. Census Bureau ID badge.
Never give out your personal information. Census takers will never ask for social security number, bank account number, credit card number, money or donations.
If something sounds suspicious, confirm it by calling the government agency directly or checking the government agency’s website. Don’t click on any links in an unexpected email. Instead, type the official URL into the browser or do a web search to find the right website or forward the email or website URL to the bureau at ois.fraud.reporting@census.gov.
Don’t click, download or open anything that comes from an anonymous sender. This is likely an attempt to gain access to personal information or install malware on a computer.

If someone suspects “phishing” or other scams, contact the regional office for individual state’s or the National Processing Center, immediately, for verification and further instructions.

Check BBB Scam Tracker for local reports of imposters in your area.
If you’ve been the victim of a scam, report it at BBB.org/ScamTracker. For more information on the 2020 Census, visit the official website, census.gov.
-BBB.ORG-

For more information or to schedule an interview with a BBB spokesperson, please contact Kryistyna Hook at 928.302.3701 or kryistyna.hook@bbbcommunity.org.\

About Better Business Bureau Serving the Pacific Southwest.
For more than 100 years, Better Business Bureau (BBB) has been helping people find businesses and charities they can trust. In 2019, people turned to BBB more than 358 million times by checking more than 232 million business profiles - all available to the public for free at bbb.org. Incorporated locally in 1938, BBB Serving Pacific Southwest covers Greater Arizona and Southern California with key campuses in Phoenix, San Diego, Newport Beach, Prescott, Yuma and Lake Havasu City. BBB Serving Pacific Southwest is supported by over 19,000 BBB Accredited Businesses, making it one of the largest BBB nationwide. Businesses that earn BBB Accreditation contractually agree and adhere to high standards of ethical business practices in the marketplace. BBB provides objective expertise and educational programs on topics affecting marketplace trust.