E-mails on census bogus, business bureau says

Claudia Buck
March 25, 2010

The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers to ignore phony e-mails that advise against completing the 2010 U.S. census form.

The e-mails, purportedly from the BBB, urgently advise recipients to answer only the first two questions on the census forms, which began arriving in mailboxes this month.

"We don't know where they're coming from. And we're not sure if it's anti-government or plain ignorant," said Katie Robison, spokeswoman for the Northeast California BBB office in West Sacramento.

She said a handful of consumers in the Sacramento and Stockton area contacted the local BBB office after receiving the e-mails, which carry a "warning" headline. Robison's advice: "Please disregard these notices, fill out all 10 questions on your census form and mail it back."

The national BBB has seen similar e-mails and posted an advisory on its Web site, www.bbb.org, reminding consumers that filling out the census form is safe and necessary.

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