As the 2010 Census continues, it's still important to protect your identity

(ARA) - While you might be hearing a bit less about it, U.S. Census Bureau workers are still making the rounds. They're pounding the pavement to ensure that the data for the 2010 U.S. Census is as complete as possible. That's why it's important that you know how to protect your identity during census time.

It's important to know that filling out the forms sent by the U.S. Census Bureau is safe -- but you need to be aware of potential scams, such as people posing as census takers and e-mails claiming to be from the Census Bureau. Census workers started making the rounds April 1, but their task is a big one, which is why they're still out knocking on doors. What you need to look out for are people posing as official workers in an attempt to defraud people who answer their questions.

Census workers will ask the same questions that are on the census forms that you receive in the mail, including things like your name, phone number, address and so on, but they will not ask for your full Social Security number, nor will they ask for money or donations. Anyone who asks you for information not requested on the Census form, like passwords or your full Social Security number, might be attempting to commit identity theft. You can ask a census worker to provide a valid Census Bureau identification.

Another increasingly popular scam is "phishing." This is a criminal activity that tries, via electronic communication, to get computer users to disclose their personal information, which could be used for fraudulent purposes. It is typically done via e-mail and might re-direct you to a legitimate appearing Web site that will ask for sensitive information.

If you see something in your e-mail inbox that purports to be from the census, avoid it. Don't click any links, open any attachments or reply with any information. The U.S. Census Bureau does not conduct the census through the Internet or e-mail, nor does it send e-mails about participating in the census. If you do receive e-mail from a source purporting to be the U.S. Census Bureau, forward the e-mail to ITSO.Fraud.Reporting@census.gov.

The possibility of fraud during the census is a great reminder that ID theft is a year 'round possibility. Just as you need to make sure that anyone asking questions on behalf of the Census Bureau is an official worker, any identity theft protection you get should come from a trusted source. The credit reporting agency Equifax, for instance, offers services like ID Patrol, which allows subscribers to lock and unlock their credit file, receive alerts if their Social Security number or credit card numbers are found on Internet trading sites, and access trained ID theft resolution specialists 24 hours a day, among other things.

If you have any suspicions about communications you receive about the 2010 U.S. Census, trust your judgment. Don't be afraid to ask workers for official identification and always report any suspicious activity related to the census to the Census Bureau. You can find your local office by going to www.census.gov/regions. It's essential that you participate in the census, but equally important that you do so carefully.

Courtesy of ARAcontent