The government must count everyone in the U.S. every 10 years. Homes will receive a Census form in the mail in March 2010. Census forms should be returned by April 1. A list of those who do not respond will be compiled and will be visited in person.

It is very important to respond to the Census. The number of people counted in a city, county and state determines how much government money goes to an area for health care, housing, roads, transit, schools, social services, and job training. The population size also affects where the district lines are drawn for elections, from City Hall to Congress. More people mean more political power for your community in Congress and in Raleigh. North Carolina has seen enormous growth in the past decade; we need to ensure that we are counted accurately to reflect this growth.

For information on the census specific to people with disabilities, click here.

Unfortunately, the Census can also be a time for bad actors to try to take advantage of people. Here are some tips from the Better Business Bureau to help you tell the difference between a scam or a legitimate U.S. Census worker collecting data.

• Method of contact- U.S. Census workers will contact you by mail, telephone or in person, however they will not contact you via email. If you are contacted by email by someone requesting information for the U.S. Census do not reply or disclose personal information.
• Request Identification- If you are contacted at home by a person claiming to work for the U.S. Census, ask to see identification before answering any questions. Legitimate census workers are required to carry and present identification in the form of a hand held device or document confirming they represent the U.S. Census department. Do not be embarrassed to ask for this proof, it is your right and responsibility to confirm identification before proceeding.
• Professional and polite- While it is true that many con artists are personable, you should be wary of anyone who becomes aggressive or intimidating when asking questions. If you feel something is just not right with the manner the official conducts himself, you have the right to refuse answering questions and report the matter to authorities.
• Non Relevant Questions- The purpose of the U.S. Census is to gather demographic information including name, age, gender, race, ethnic origin, date of birth, employment status and other relevant data. Census workers should not ask for your social security number, credit card or banking information. If you are asked to provide this information from anyone, census worker or otherwise, you should be advised that information is not part of the census and should not be given out to anyone.
• Money Requests- Census workers are authorized to collect data, not money. They may not ask you for money or imply that you owe the government money. Even if you do in fact owe the government money Census workers are not dispatched to collect it along with data. Do not give money to anyone claiming it is part of the census process.

This was produced by Disability Rights North Carolina, a federally mandated Protection & Advocacy system, in 2010 with funding from the Help America Vote Act.