Census survey always with announcement: Warning against tricksters

Survey of facts about the people in the district: The census citizen survey starts on Monday.

The organizers warn against free riders and false questionnaires.

District – How many inhabitants does the district of Starnberg have exactly?

How do people live?

What's your schoool degree?

Which profession?

The census survey, which takes place every ten years, clarifies this and more.

From next Monday, May 16th, interviewers will ring the doorbell in the district.

But maybe not only that: The census survey agency warns of fraudulent free riders.

The census was originally planned for 2021, but it was delayed due to the corona virus.

Around 4,800 randomly selected addresses will be surveyed by around mid-August.

This is reported by the district office in a press release.

The first citizens have already been informed in writing.

About 150 survey officers are on duty.

The volunteers have been trained and can earn some extra tax-free money.

“The visit of the interviewers will be announced in writing.

They also have an official ID with them, which they present at the appointment.

Please be sure to have your ID shown to you," Markus Reichart from the local survey office appealed to citizens.

The survey includes age, marital status and household size.

It usually lasts five to ten minutes.

About half of the households are also asked questions from an extended questionnaire.

It's about graduation, job and the like.

This survey will take another 10 to 15 minutes.

You can answer the additional questions directly, fill out a paper questionnaire or answer later online.

The interviews take place at the house or apartment door.

Interviewers are not allowed to enter an apartment without consent.

They are also not allowed to ask for income, religion, bank information, identification documents, passwords, signatures or, for example, vaccination status.

"If in doubt, you should break off the conversation and inform the police or the district office," writes Stefan Diebl, spokesman for the district authority.

As part of the census, information from all homeowners is obtained independently of the citizen survey - but only by post from the Bavarian State Office for Statistics.

Participation in the census is mandatory by law.

Last time, in 2011, con artists took advantage of the survey, trying to question citizens over the phone or even at their doorstep.

The scammers promised a small amount of money for participation and tried to get PIN numbers or account details.

Such cases were known, for example, in the district of Erding, reports Diebl.

In addition, a false questionnaire appeared – on political opinions, financial circumstances or health.

Reichart says: "The official interviewers never come unannounced, for data protection reasons they are always alone and can identify themselves." Each selected household receives a letter and a telephone number from the survey officer in advance.