By Senior Officer Larry Jacobs, Crime Prevention Division, SSPD
larry.jacobs@sandyspringsga.org
Fake Census forms have begun popping up around the country, as if you needed another Census-related thing to worry about!
The legitimate 2010 Census form asks for the name, age, sex and race of every person living in your household. That’s about it. Pretty clean.
Many people, however, are afraid to fill it out the real one, but this is a constitutional obligation. There’s nothing intrusive or abusive about it.
Now The Chicago Tribune reports fake Census forms are coming from criminals looking to steal your identity. The bogus forms, which look completely legit, will typically ask for your Social Security number and your mother’s maiden name. Nothing but trouble can come from you putting your Social Security number on a form.
To paraphrase the Tribune, if a Census form asks you for your Social Security number, throw it away.
Courtesy of Clark Howard.