Susan Johnson is writing on behalf of the Better Business Bureau of Northeast Florida whether the Bureau wants her to or not.
Susan Johnson sent local residents e-mails last week informing readers of how the Bureau suggests people should avoid being conned by fake representatives of the federal government if those false workers come to collect “data” for the U.S. Census Bureau.
Only no one knows who Susan Johnson is.
Johnson has no association with the Bureau, and some of her claims contradict the Bureau’s real advice concerning potential con artists.
This is the fifth time Johnson has offered unsolicited advice supposedly from the Bureau, Tom Stephens, Bureau president, estimated.
“We have no clue who Susan Johnson is,” Stephens said, “and whether there is a Susan Johnson at all.”
In the e-mail, Johnson said Census workers will only ask how many people live in each home. In reality, the 2010 U.S. Census will ask 10 questions concerning age, gender and race, among other personal information.
The font in Johnson’s e-mail is bold, and different portions of her message are highlighted. At the end, Johnson writes, “Please share this info with friends and family” in red, capital letters, something, Stephens said, the Bureau would never do.
Stephens said he isn't concerned about the e-mails themselves, as most of the information sent from Johnson actually aligns with what the Bureau previously said in a press release.
Although the Bureau has no official relationship with the U.S. Census, Stephens said employees of the Census frequently send the Bureau information to pass along to anybody who calls with questions.
Sometime after April 1, workers from the U.S. Census Bureau will begin traveling door to door to survey those who have not yet returned their census. Students living on campus will be asked to complete a census in Gainesville, even if a student is financially supported by a parent living somewhere else.
“It’s important students realize they have to fill out [a census in Gainesville],” Sexton said. “If they don’t, Gainesville will be underrepresented.”
Official U.S. Census workers will have an ID with a Department of Commerce watermark. They will also give the Census’ regional office number to anybody seeking confirmation.
However, census workers will not ask for social security, bank account or credit card numbers, according to a press release sent out last May by the Bureau.
