Mishawaka, IN – Today, Congressman Joe Donnelly warned seniors across north central Indiana about a misleading mailing asking them to pay to provide their responses to a “census.” An organization called the Council for Retirement Security has sent surveys entitled the “National Census of Senior Citizens” to several seniors in the area asking for their responses and credit card information. Some surveys had Rep. Donnelly’s name on the front of the mailing.
“The National Census of Senior Citizens is not affiliated with the U.S. Census Bureau, or my office, in any way,” said Congressman Donnelly. “This is a misleading scheme to trick seniors into providing their credit card information.”
The Council for Retirement Security is affiliated with another organization called Our Generation. Our Generation’s website is nothing more than a blog. To view an example of this misleading mailing, click here.
This morning, Donnelly sent a letter to the National Census of Senior Citizens asking them to remove his name from their mail pieces and acknowledging that the Indiana Attorney General’s office had already warned Hoosiers about this misleading mailer back in 2007. To read Congressman Donnelly’s letter to the organization, click here.
The U.S. Census Bureau will never ask for money or a donation, for your full social security number, send requests on behalf of a political party, or request PIN codes, passwords or similar access information for credit cards, banks or other financial accounts. Congressman Donnelly encourages recipients of the mailer to contact the Indiana Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-382-5516 or online: http://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/2434.htm.
Congressman Donnelly and all other local, state, and federal officials always wish to hear from their constituents. Congressman Donnelly’s office is available both in Indiana and in Washington by phone, email, fax, regular mail, or in person. Hoosiers should never pay to have their opinion known.
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