How do I know the form I received isn’t counterfeit? Any request for census information from the Census Bureau will be clearly identified as coming from the U.S. Census Bureau and as OFFICIAL BUSINESS of the United States. Before your household receives a mailed form, a phone call or a visit from the Census Bureau, you will be given a few days’ notice with a letter from the Census Bureau director.
Who sees my information? By law, the Census Bureau cannot share respondents’ answers with anyone, including the IRS, FBI, CIA or any other government agency. All Census Bureau employees take the oath of nondisclosure and are sworn for life to protect the confidentiality of the data. The penalty for unlawful disclosure is a fine of up to $250,000 or imprisonment of up to five years, or both.
Can my neighbor see my information? No. It is unlawful for the Census Bureau to give personally identifiable information about an individual to any other individual or agency until 72 years after it is collected for the decennial census. Additionally, every Census Bureau employee has taken an oath to protect your information and is subject to a jail term, a fine or both if he or she discloses any information that could identify you or your household.
What if I don’t fill in the form? Many residents who do not complete and return a 2010 Census form will receive a replacement form. If no form is mailed back, residents can expect a personal visit from a census taker some time after March 2010. The census taker will ask you the questions on the form, record your answers and then submit the form for your household.
What if I provide false information? According to Title 13, Chapter 7, Subtitle 2, anyone who willfully gives an answer that is false could be fined up to $500.
For more, visit the Missouri Census online at http://oa.mo.gov/mocensus/