The New York State Division of Consumer Protection (DCP) today issued
guidance to New Yorkers to follow when completing the Census. From
March 12-20, New York households will be receiving the official Census
Bureau mailing with detailed information on how to respond to the 2020
Census online, by phone, or by mail.
“As we gear up to begin the count for the 2020 Census, we want to
make sure all New Yorkers are armed with key information about the
process to ensure a complete count,” said New York State Secretary of State Rossana Rosado.
“Under the leadership of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, we are engaging with
our hard-to-reach communities, helping to ensure every single New
Yorker is counted and New York gets its fair share of federal funding.
Completing the Census is safe and easy, and there are a variety of
resources available to New Yorkers who may need additional help.”
Below is key information on the upcoming Census count for all New Yorkers to keep in mind when completing the Census:
Be Aware of Key Dates. Between March 12 and March
20, New York households will be begin receiving the official U.S. Census
Bureau mail with detailed information on how to respond. You should
complete the Census questionnaire as soon as you get it. Once you
complete the form, you cannot make any changes so you should complete
the form to include everyone living in your home on April 1, 2020,
Census Day. From May to July, Census takers will begin visiting homes
that haven’t responded to the 2020 Census to help make sure everyone is
counted.
Three Ways to Respond. There are three ways to
respond to the 2020 Census: online, by phone or by mail. Households will
receive information in the mail with detailed information on how to
respond.
Questions Asked. The Census asks how many people are
living in your house as of April 1, 2020. The Census will ask 10 basic
questions: name; number of people living or staying in the home on April
1, 2020; whether residence is a house, apartment, or mobile home;
telephone number (only to be used if needed for official Census Bureau
business); sex; age; date of birth; Hispanic origin; race; relationship
with other household members.
The Census will never ask for immigration status,
social security numbers, money or donations, anything on behalf of a
political party or for your bank or credit card account numbers.
Protecting your Data. The U.S. Census Bureau is
bound by law to protect your answers and keep them strictly
confidential. In fact, every employee takes an oath to protect your
personal information for life. Under Title 13 of the U.S. Code, the
Census Bureau cannot release any identifiable information about you,
your home, or your immigration status, even to law enforcement agencies.
The law ensures that your private data is protected and that your
answers cannot be used against you by any government agency or court.
The answers you provide are used only to produce statistics.
- S. Census Workers in your Neighborhood. You may see census takers, known as enumerators, in your neighborhood as they help conduct quality check interviews and collect responses to the 2020 Census. Census takers will start visiting some neighborhoods in April 2020 and will follow up with homes who have not yet responded online, by phone, or by mail from May through July. All census workers will identify themselves and carry an ID badge with their photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date. They will only ask questions that are on the questionnaire.
Official U.S. Census Bureau workers will never ask to enter your home. They will never ask for money, threaten detainment or deportation, or request additional documentation.
If someone visits your home to collect a response for the 2020 Census, you can do the following to verify their identity:
- First, check to make sure that they have a valid ID badge, with their photograph, a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark, and an expiration date.
- If you still have questions about their identity, you can call 800-923-8282 to speak with a local Census Bureau representative.
Avoiding Scams Online: It is important to know that
the U.S. Census Bureau will not send unsolicited emails to request your
participation in the 2020 Census. The use of any website that mentions
being affiliated with the U.S. Census should be verified. The easiest
way to verify the site is to check if address includes “.gov,” as only
official U.S. and state government websites can use “.gov.” Fraudulent
sites purporting to be official government service providers may steal
personal
information.
Reporting Suspected Fraud: If you suspect fraud,
call 800-923-8282 to speak with a local Census Bureau representative. If
it is determined that the visitor who came to your door does not work
for the Census Bureau, contact your local police department.
Official Census information can be found by visiting the U.S. Census Bureau website and by visiting New York State’s Census website.
The New York State Department of State also offers the following resources to help New Yorkers:
Office for New Americans Hotline 1-800-566-7636: The
Office for New Americans’ free hotline is available from Monday through
Friday from 9AM to 8PM and can help new Americans in more than 200
hundred languages. Hotline experts assist eligible immigrants in
connecting with a team of experienced immigration lawyers through the
Liberty Defense Project, which provides free immigration law
consultations to newcomers, and technical legal assistance to immigrant
service providers across New York State. For more information on the
Office for New Americans, visit the website at https://www.newamericans.ny.
The Office can also be reached via Twitter at @NYSNewAmericans or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/
DCP Consumer Helpline 1-800-697-1220: The DCP
Consumer Helpline offers safe, direct assistance for any New Yorker who
believes they have been treated unfairly while in the marketplace. To
report suspected Census fraud or scams, call the DCP Consumer Helpline
at 800-697-1220, Monday through Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm or visit the DCP
website at www.dos.ny.gov/
Source: The New York State Division of Consumer Protection
No comments:
Post a Comment