Beginning March 12, the U.S. Census Bureau will mail invitations to every household in Sacramento County with directions to complete the 2020 census questionnaire. If you receive anything by mail, email or phone before March 12, it may not be official U.S. Census Bureau communication. Here’s how to tell if what you have received is legit.
By mail
- “U.S. Census Bureau” or “U.S. Department of Commerce” will be printed in the return address field.
- The return address will be from Jeffersonville, IN. The Census Bureau has a mail processing center located there.
By phone or in-person
The Census Bureau will contact households who have not completed the survey by phone and in person. It has strict rules about what it will and will not ask for. If you are asked for any of the following, it’s a scam.
- Donations or money
- A full Social Security number
- Anything on behalf of a political party
- Your mother’s maiden name
- Credit card or bank account numbers
In addition, census field representatives (enumerators) will have an ID badge that has their name, their photograph, a Department of Commerce watermark, and expiration date. They begin walking neighborhoods in May.
If you need help verifying that a survey is conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, contact the Customer Service Center.
Census results affect community funding, political representation, education, health care, and more. When you get your invitation, please fill it out!