Police warn of census scams Officials point out workers won't ask for personal info By Sally Voth - svoth@nvdaily.com As the 2010 census gets set to begin, state police are advising Virginians to be on the alert for scams. Census questionnaires are due to arrive at residents' homes next week, according to a news release from the Charlotte Regional Census Center. The release says the form will have 10 questions and should be sent back immediately in a postage-paid envelope that will come with it. "If the people of Virginia complete the census form and return it quickly, then we won't have to go out, knock on doors, and collect the information," U.S. Census Bureau regional director William W. Hatcher says in the release. That in turn saves money. Around $85 million is saved for each percent of returned questionnaires, the release says. If a person claiming to be a census worker knocks on your door, ask for identification, and if you're concerned, call the Charlotte center at 704-936-5300, advises a state police news release. It says census workers will never ask to come inside, and may only interview those over 14. Nor will a census worker ask for bank account or credit card information. "[The advice] is really kind of [a] preventative measure," state police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said Thursday. "This is just being put out as an advisory just so people have the knowledge. Knowledge is power. We haven't had any reports [of scams]. "If you fill out the form and mail it back in, you won't even come in contact with a census taker. It's only for those people who may not fill it out or may lose it." Neither Shenandoah County Sheriff Timothy C. Carter nor Warren County Sheriff Daniel T. McEathron could recall any scams reported in relation to the 2000 census. "I know that any time there's something out there, somebody's always [trying to] take advantage of the situation," McEathron said. "My only advice to the residents would be if they're unsure, give your local jurisdiction, [law enforcement] agency a call. We don't mind responding to these calls and taking care of any concerns they might have." Geller offered the same suggestion, and urged concerned residents to take note of any suspicious persons' appearance, car and the direction they are headed. According to the regional census center's release, the U.S. Constitution requires a census every 10 years, and the results are used to determine the number of seats in the House of Representatives each state gets, and are a factor in federal funding.