LITTLE ROCK – Every 10 years, the U.S. Census Bureau has the important job of counting every living person in our country. Beginning in mid-March, an invitation to participate will either be mailed or hand delivered to each home. If no response is received by May either by mail, online or over the phone, census takers will begin visiting homes and can return up to six times until the questionnaire is completed.
“This is one time every person will be contacted by a government entity,” said Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge. “It’s important for Arkansans to know which questions will and will not be asked by the Census Bureau and not fall prey to scammers pretending to be the Census Bureau.”
According to the Federal Trade Commission, the questionnaire asks:
- How many people are in the home?
- What is their sex, age, race and ethnicity?
- What is their relationship to one another?
- What is the best phone number to reach you?
- Do you own or rent the home?
For a full list of questions, go to 2020census.gov. According to the U.S Census Bureau, every answer is confidential and answers will only be used for statistical purposes.
The following information will NEVER be asked by the Census Bureau:
- Social Security number.
- Money or donations.
- Bank or credit card account information.
- Anything on behalf of or about a political party.
If you are asked these questions by a person claiming to be the with Census Bureau, it is a scam and you should not cooperate with them. Instead, hang up and report the call to the Census Bureau by calling 800-923-8282.
Some households will receive follow-up phone calls from the Census Bureau to ensure quality control. To help distinguish between legitimate Census Bureau calls and scammers, check out “Are You in a Survey? Help for Survey Participants” on the Census Bureau’s website.
If you suspect fraud, call 800-923-8282 to speak with a local Census Bureau representative or call the Attorney General’s Office at (800) 482-8982 or consumer@arkansasag.gov. For more scam alerts, visit ArkansasAG.gov or Facebook.com/AGLeslieRutledge.
About Attorney General Leslie Rutledge
Leslie Carol Rutledge is the 56th Attorney General of Arkansas. Elected on November 4, 2014, and sworn in on January 13, 2015, she is the first woman and first Republican in Arkansas history to be elected as Attorney General. She was resoundingly re-elected on November 6, 2018. Since taking office, she has significantly increased the number of arrests and convictions against online predators who exploit children and con artists who steal taxpayer money through Social Security Disability and Medicaid fraud. Further, she has held Rutledge Roundtable meetings and Mobile Office hours in every county of the State each year, and launched a Military and Veterans Initiative. She has led efforts to roll back government regulations that hurt job creators, fight the opioid epidemic, teach internet safety, combat domestic violence and make the office the top law firm for Arkansans. Rutledge serves as Chairwoman of the National Association of Attorneys General Southern Region and re-established and co-chairs the National Association of Attorneys General Committee on Agriculture. As the former Chairwoman of the Republican Attorneys General Association, she remains active on the Executive Board.
A native of Batesville, she is a graduate of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law. Rutledge clerked for the Arkansas Court of Appeals, was Deputy Counsel for former Governor Mike Huckabee, served as a Deputy Prosecuting Attorney in Lonoke County and was an Attorney at the Department of Human Services before serving as Counsel at the Republican National Committee. Rutledge and her husband, Boyce, have one daughter. The family has a home in Pulaski County and a farm in Crittenden County.
