

Beginning in March, Pinellas County residents will receive their 2010 Census forms in the mail.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office along with Pinellas County Justice and Consumer Services, the Census Bureau and other local law enforcement agencies
are united in their mission make the public aware that even the Census can be a tool for criminals to engage in identity theft, fraud and burglary.
Census information is important because it is used in determining congressional and legislative districts as well as to determining funding for schools, housing,
roads and more.
The Census form is shorter this year than in 2000, and is comprised of only 10 questions. Residents are asked to fill out the form and return it by U.S. Mail. If
forms are not received by April 1, 2010, Census workers will begin visiting those households that did not return their forms. These visits will occur from April
through July.
Federal law mandates that individual responses remain confidential.
Census workers are not contacting anyone by e-mail or through the Internet. Do not respond to any census-related inquiries online. All forms will be sent by the U.
S. Postal Service.
The sheriff's office advises people to look twice at any e-mail or regular mail received using the word "Census" to promote an unrelated event or fundraiser. The
official federal census forms do not solicit donations for or promote any organization or cause.
According to investigators with Pinellas County Justice and Consumer Services, “Legitimate census workers who are conducting neighborhood visits after April 1
will carry an identification badge, a hand-held device, a Census Bureau logo canvas bag and a confidentiality notice.” If someone claiming to be a census
worker comes to your door, ask for identification and do not allow that person inside. Official census workers are to remain outside to conduct their resident
contacts. They will not ask you to “use the bathroom” or “to make a phone call.”
Assigned census workers are knocking on doors to verify address information. They might ask for a salary range in the household, but no other financial
information will be sought. Be suspicious of any “census” worker who asks for your credit card or banking information, your social security number or who solicits
donations.
Official census workers may make contact by phone, and if you are concerned, you can confirm their identity and affiliation with the Census Bureau by calling 1-
800-432-1495.
Florida is part of the United States Census Bureau’s Atlanta Regional Census Center, along with Alabama and Georgia. Two local census offices are in Pinellas
County.