Census scam warning issued by council trading standards

25 March 2011

Council trading standards teams have issued warnings to residents across the country to alert them and advise them to protect themselves again bogus callers posing as census collectors.

The warnings come after Leicestershire County Council Trading Standards received a complaint from a resident who had been targeted.

The public are now being reminded that they should never disclose credit card or bank details to somebody posing as a census collector or, indeed, any cold caller. Trading standards officers are also reiterating awareness that many bogus callers use doorstep tactics as a deterrent whilst an accomplice gains access to a property via another route.

The census doesn't take place until 27 March and officials will not be contacting anyone before then. From 6 April, a small number of householders may be visited by officials but that will be because they are yet to submit their forms. Formal ID will be presented to residents.

Cllr Paul Bettison, chairman of Local Government Regulation, said:

“Fraudsters are known to take advantage of any situation. If they can make money from it, then they will give it a go. The next national exercise is the census and council trading standards teams are doing all they can to ensure that residents are on their guard for cold callers.

“Anyone visiting a household for official business should be able to provide photographic identification and unless that it the case, nobody should allow anyone access to their property.

“If a resident thinks that they may have fallen victim to this or any other doorstep crime, they should contact their council trading standards service, the police, the census helpline or Crimestoppers immediately.”

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