“Hello, I’m from the Census Bureau, and we need to see your credit cards.”

Apparently, some “Gypsies, tramps and thieves” have begun scamming area residents in advance of the U.S. Census. In one telephone conversation, a local resident, thinking she had answered official U.S. Census documents, complained that “this year, they were asking all kinds of questions about my assets.”

The Birmingham News has reported that Pamela Page-Bellis, U.S. Census Bureau spokeswoman for the Atlanta Regional Census Center, has not yet commented upon any claims of fraudulent, deceptive or imposter Census Bureau workers in Alabama.

Official U.S. Census workers may be identified by official U.S. government-issued picture I.D., are temporary employees of the federal government, and according to an official U.S. Census Bureau press release, “will never ask for your Social Security number or personal banking information,” or information about financial accounts.

The official United States Census has only 10 questions, and may take as many minutes to complete. Among the questions, are the name, age, sex of every person living in the household, and whether the residence is owner-occupied, or a rental. The form also includes a postage paid return envelope.

The Huntsville, AL census office oversight area includes Madison, Limestone, Lawrence, Lauderdale, Colbert and Franklin counties.

During the last census – which occurred in 2000 – the overall rate of return of census forms sent to Alabama residents was 61%.

Since 1790, when Thomas Jefferson was Secretary of State, the United States Constitution, in Article I Section 2, Clause 3 has mandated a census be enumerated ever 10 years, and states, “The actual enumeration shall be made within three years after the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct.”

The same clause also states that, “The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand, but each State shall have at Least one Representative.”

Like it or not, our U.S. Constitution also states in that same clause, that “Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers…”

NOTE: The phrase “Gypsies, tramps and thieves” is the title phrase from the BMI Award-winning song “Gypsys, Tramp and Thieves” [legal title, BMI Work #515517] written by Robert Stone, BMI CAE/IPI #29704479, and published by:

UNIVERSAL MUSIC CAREERS
CAE/IPI #: 539732230
Phone: (310) 235-4700
Fax: (310) 235-4907
Contact:
UNIVERSAL MUSIC MGB NA LLC
DBA UNIVERSAL MUSIC CAREERS
2440 SEPULVEDA BLVD STE 100
LOS ANGELES, CA 90064-1712
http://www.umusic.com

The song and 1971 album of the same name, was recorded and popularized by musician/entertainer “Cher.”