Beware of Census Scams: Survey Shows Many Are Vulnerable
It’s no secret that scammers are constantly on the lookout for new ways to separate consumers from their cash. And a new survey suggests that the 2020 Census may give criminals a fresh opportunity to target new victims.
AARP, an organization that advocates for Americans 50 and over, surveyed 2,273 adults to gauge their susceptibility to imposter scams — schemes in which criminals pretend to represent agencies like the Social Security Administration or Internal Revenue Service, or pose as relatives or as someone looking for a relationship via online dating sites. Almost half of all respondents (47%) said they have been contacted before by someone attempting to pull an imposter scam.
Census opens up new risks
The 2020 Census taking place this year raises the risk of getting fooled by imposters posing as officials from the Census Bureau. The fear is that many consumers don’t know the specifics about how Census information will be collected, so they may unwittingly share their personal information with scammers.
70% of respondents were either incorrect or unsure about whether the Census Bureau would reach out to them via email. In reality, the Census Bureau will not contact consumers via email. Instead, communications about the census will be sent via postal mail. Consumers may also answer census questions via phone or online at 2020Census.gov.
35% either expected the census questionnaire to ask them to provide their Social Security number, or they were unsure whether that information would be requested. In reality, the Census Bureau will not ask for a Social Security number or any other sensitive information, such as passwords or bank account information. Likewise, the Census Bureau will not ask for any types of payments.
Note that age can play a role in such scams: Those aged 50 and over were generally more likely to be targeted by fraudsters pretending to be government officials. In fact, 45% of consumers 50 and up reported having been targeted by a government imposter scam, compared to 35% of consumers between 18 and 49.
Becoming the victim of this kind of scam can have far-reaching consequences. Not only can consumers lose money, but — the survey suggests — the experience could impact a victim’s health. Among respondents, 18% of those who were either targeted or victimized by a scammer said they felt emotional distress or suffered another health problem as a result. Younger and middle-aged adults (those between 18-49) were more likely to report an impact on their health, compared to older respondents.
The Federal Trade Commission received 647,472 complaints about imposter scams in 2019, which were involved in roughly one-fifth of all fraud reports. With the proliferation of so many scams, it’s important to stay vigilant and to be wary of anyone contacting you asking for personal information.
Not only should you be concerned about imposter scams, but you should take steps to protect yourself from other, similar crimes, such as credit card fraud and debt consolidation scams. The more you know, the more likely you’ll be able to recognize a potential scam before it goes too far.
