Fact Check: Census workers, or scammers?

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — The 2020 Census is over. So why are people still going door to door claiming to be census workers? Are they scammers?

It’s been the talk on some neighborhood social media sites.

Maybe you’ve seen the posts and warnings: "Trespasser claiming to be with the census."

That was posted recently on the Nextdoor website. It even gave a description of the person involved. The post got quite a response from neighbors.

One said, "The census is done, so there is no question that this was not a legitimate reason to approach the house."

News10NBC’s Nikki Rudd reached out to the New York Regional Census Center. It turns out the U.S. Census Bureau is in the field right now working on several surveys. One is the Post Enumeration Survey. Basically, it’s used to make sure the 2020 Census is accurate.

On top of that, census workers are also working on the Current Population Survey.

So are census workers still going door to door? That is a fact.
Of course, scammers are always out there.

So here’s what to look out for:

• Census Bureau employees will have an ID badge that includes their name, photo, a Department of Commerce watermark and an expiration date.
• They will have an official bag and device, like a laptop or smartphone, with the Census Bureau logo.
• Census takers and field reps do their work between 9 AM and 9 PM.

If you’re still unsure about a person who knocks on your door, you can enter their name on the staff search website here.

You can also call the Regional Census Office at (212) 882-2130.

The year-round American Community Survey is also being done by mail or online by the Census Bureau. You could be contacted in person or by phone for a follow-up.

Click here to learn more about the U.S. Census Bureau surveys.

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Check out other Fact Checks here. If you have an idea for Fact Check, email Nikki Rudd at nrudd@whec.com.