Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has been made aware that criminals posing as census field staff have been attempting to collect personal information from respondents for illegal purposes.

A respondent in Ekhurhuleni contacted Stats SA to alert us to the fact that two women posing as census field staff requested ID numbers and banking details. The couple became suspicious at this and requested that they leave immediately. They were not able to get the alleged fieldworkers ID to verify their legitimacy.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time that Stats SA’s good name has been used by criminals to gain access to households. In August 2021, households in Giyani in Limpopo were subjected to a similar scam, with some households reportedly losing money in the process.

Stats SA will NOT ask households for their ID numbers, banking details, pins, etc. as this is not part of the information we collect. We do ask for contact details from households, in case we need to verify information collected, or in case the household is selected to participate in the Post-Enumeration Survey (PES), which happens immediately after the census.

Please ensure that the person at your door has a legitimate Stats SA ID. Fieldworkers can be verified on the online Fieldworker Verification System https://migration.statssa.gov.za/Fieldworkerverification/home.php or by contacting the call centre on 0800 110 248 (tollfree).

Please report any fraudulent activity on 0800 110 248 (tollfree).