Census forms will be in mailboxes in March

by: Representative Barb Byrum

Tue Feb 09, 2010 at 13:51:02 PM EST

This year, as required by the Constitution, the federal government will count every resident of the United States. Held once every 10 years, the U.S. Census is critical to determining how much federal money Michigan gets, and how strong our voice will be in the U.S. House of Representatives. For that reason, it is absolutely essential that everyone return their census forms to ensure that everyone gets counted.

However, there are some unscrupulous individuals who are looking to profit off of the confusion surrounding the census. There will be two phases of the census – a 10-question form mailed sometime in March, and if that form is not returned, a census taker will appear at your home sometime between April and July to collect the information. Be wary of giving out your personal information, especially to anyone without proper census identification. Here are some tips to help you make sure that you are actually dealing with the U.S. Census Bureau, and not a scammer:

-If the letter you receive asks you for money, it is not from the Census Bureau. Some organizations have used the census as an opportunity to raise funds by misrepresenting their fundraising appeals as an official census document. Do not be fooled! You do not need to send in any money to participate in the census.

-Do not respond to any e-mails that claim to be from the U.S. Census Bureau. The Census Bureau is not sending out e-mails concerning the census.

-Do not fill out any information online. The census is not being conducted online. Many identity thieves and criminals will try to direct you to fill out a form on an official looking Web site in order to steal or "phish" your important information.

The Census Bureau will also NEVER ask you for:

-Money

-A Social Security number

-Your bank or financial account number or your PIN number

-A donation to a political party or organization

-Your party affiliation

The actual census form is only 10 questions, and should be filled out to ensure that our state and community gets our fair share of federal funding. It is estimated that Michigan will have lost nearly $2 billion over the past decade simply because Michigan residents did not make sure they were counted.

If you have any questions about the census, please visit www.2010.census.gov for more information, or contact my office at (517) 373-0587. You can also e-mail me at BarbByrum@house.mi.gov.

This year, let's make sure that everybody counts!