'Phishing' is the criminally fraudulent process of attempting to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, social security numbers, bank account or credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Phishing is typically carried out by email and it often directs users to enter sensitive information at a fake web site whose look and feel are almost identical to the legitimate one.
Census Bureau initiated communication through email
You may receive an email from the Census Bureau regarding your participation in a survey, however:
If you receive an email or find a web site that you suspect is falsely representing the Census Bureau:
You will not receive a confirmation email after forwarding the information to us. However, the Census Bureau will investigate the information and notify you of its findings. The Census Bureau can use the information, URLs and links you forward to trace the hosting web site and alert authorities to help shut down the fraudulent site.
If you have questions regarding the legitimacy of a survey questionnaire received in the mail, a phone call or visit by a Census Bureau employee, or other concerns of a non-cyber nature, please visit our Are You In a Survey? page.