This year, as required by the Constitution, the federal government will count every resident of the United States. Held once every 10 years, the U.S. Census is critical to determining how much federal money Michigan gets, and how strong our voice will be in the U.S. House of Representatives. For that reason, it is absolutely essential that everyone return their census forms to ensure that everyone gets counted.

However, there are some unscrupulous individuals who are looking to profit off of the confusion surrounding the census. There will be two phases of the census – a 10-question form mailed sometime in March, and if that form is not returned, a census taker will appear at your home sometime between April and July to collect the information. Be wary of giving out your personal information, especially to anyone without proper census identification. Here are some tips to help you make sure that you are actually dealing with the U.S. Census Bureau, and not a scammer: