Ah,
the days when snake oil salesmen only traveled from city to city selling their
dubious medical cures. Now with today’s technology, scam artists are found
everywhere: at your door, on the phone, by email and now even text messages.
Using
all these means, what better time for scam artists to ply their trade than
during the 2020 Census when the Census does ask detailed questions about things
like income, assets, job status, and household amenities - which in most every other
case is no one’s busy. (I heard of one person who has already been visited by
someone claiming to be a Census Taker - and the Census doesn’t start till April
1st!)
Even
though we are just entering the month of February and only dreaming about
April, it’s not too early to know the warning signs to look for during this
decade’s census.
When a
census taker comes to your door, check for their valid ID badge with their
photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date.
Also, they will never ask you for money or financial data, such as the amount
in your bank account, Social Security number, or mother’s maiden name. And they will never threaten you with arrest -
although you can be fined for not participating.
Online
if you receive an email from the Census Bureau be suspicious. The agency almost
always makes contact by mail. They don’t send unsolicited emails. If you do
receive such an email don’t reply, click links or open attachments - and
forward the message to ois.fraud.reporting@census.gov. And
for any website that claims to be a Census website, check the web address. Make sure it has a census.gov domain and is
encrypted: look for https:// or a lock symbol in the browser window.
If you
receive anything by mail, check to see if the return address includes the U.S.
Department of Commerce or U.S. Census Bureau and Jeffersonville, Ind. - the
site of the National Processing Center. You may also receive a reminder letter
from one of the Census Bureau’s regional offices or headquarters in the
Washington, D.C. area.
If you
receive a phone call don’t trust caller ID — scammers can use “spoofing” tools
to make it appear they’re calling from a real Census Bureau number. Call the
National Processing Center at 800-523-3205 or 800-642-0469 to verify the phone
survey is legitimate. There are valid reasons why you may be called such as if
they don’t find you at home or when a personal visit is not convenient.
The
goal of the 2020 Census is a complete and accurate count - but worrying that you
might be a sucker for some scam makes reaching that goal even more difficult.
If you do encounter anything suspicious, call the regional office for Oregon
(818) 267-1700 or 1-800-992-3530; or call 800-923-8282 to speak with a Census
Bureau representative. Also the U.S. Census has an excellent and comprehensive
secure website at https://www.2020census.gov/ where you can learn
more about the Census and how to apply to become a Census taker.
The
program for the 2020 Original Courthouse Regional History Forum on Saturday
February 8th is “The Women of Sorosis: Social ‘Influencers’ of Their Day”. Denise
Dietrich Bokum will share the far-reaching contributions of women leaders in
The Dalles who gave Sorosis Park its name. Program begins at 1:30 pm.
The
title of the epic historical film about an English officer who successfully
united and led the diverse Arab tribes during World War I in order to fight the
Turks was Lawrence of Arabia. I received correct answers from Carol
Earl, Jess Birge, Lana Tepfer, Dave Lutgens, Sam Bilyeu, Deloris Schrader, Rhonda
Austin, Ruth Radcliffe, Jim Ayers, Bill Marick, Sandy Haechrel and Michael
Murat this week’s winner of a quilt raffle ticket.
On the
first Wednesday of the next several months I’m going to ask a local history
question about businesses that once were located at a different location. For this
week it’s a two-part “Remember When” question. What business use to be where St.
Vincent DePaul Thrift Store is now? And what business use to be where Sawyers Ace
Hardware and Rental is now? Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com,
leave a message at 541-296-4788 or drop off your answers on the back of a crisp
hundred dollar bill.
Well,
it’s been another week, trying to take care of business. Until we meet again, I’ve
found the answer to most every important question is “It’s complicated!”.
“A
friend is someone who picks you up when no one else realized you have fallen.”
Mar Razalan
No comments:
Post a Comment