Benton Co. Sheriff Gives Heads Up on Spotting Fake Census Workers

The 2020 US Census officially starts on April 1st of 2020. Before it arrives, the Benton County Sheriff's office is giving everyone a quick lesson in spotting real and fake ID's and workers, and giving more information on how to avoid potentially being scammed.

The Census Bureau will never ask for your Social Security number, your bank account or credit card numbers, or money or donations.

There are five key components to look for when presented with a census worker's ID:

1. The full name of the census worker
2. Photograph of the census worker
3. Department of commerce watermark
4. Expiration date of the badge
5. An identification number

When you meet a census worker they will also have:

• An official bag
• A Census Bureau-issued electronic device, such as a laptop or smartphone, bearing the Census Bureau logo

Census takers and field representatives will also only be working between 9 am and 9 pm. If you still have questions about the person's identity, you can call 800-923-8282 to speak with a local Census Bureau representative. If the person does not work for the census you are asked to call your local police department.

Letters from the Census Bureau are expected to be in mailboxes around the area soon, asking people to fill out their census forms online, and providing more information for those who wish to do it on paper.

Be sure to fill out your census information. Businesses use Census Bureau data to decide where to build factories, offices and stores to create jobs. The data collected is also used to support community initiatives involving legislation, quality-of-life and consumer advocacy.