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As 2019 draws to a close, a new decade will be here before we know it. However, as we usher in a new era, there is business to be taken care of — namely, the census.

Beginning in mid-March, households will receive an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census. Although the Census Bureau doesn’t limit its activity to the time around the 10-year mark (more than 130 surveys are conducted each year), this is the time consumers and scammers alike begin to pay more attention. Scammers may use census surveys as an opportunity to ask for your personal information. BBB serving the Heart of Texas is here to help you know if you’re being contacted by a legitimate U.S. Census Bureau representative.

• Verify their identity. If someone knocks on your door or approaches you in person claiming to be from the Census Bureau, ask to see a valid U.S. Census Bureau ID badge. There is also information a real bureau agent or survey will never ask for, such as your full Social Security number, banking information or financial data (such as how much money you have in your bank account). If you are asked questions like these, you are probably not participating in a legitimate survey.