Census enumerators at your door? Here’s how to check if they’re genuine

Authorities across the country have announced similar plans, rolling out QR code-based identity cards for Census 2027 enumerators to help residents verify who is at their doorstep.

Why QR codes?

The move is in response to a rise in impersonation-based cyber fraud across the country. Fraudsters increasingly pose as government officials, police personnel, and enforcement agency representatives, often carrying forged documents, fake identity cards, and digital verification requests, to deceive and defraud citizens.

Online circulation of fake Census-related messages and a surge in so-called ‘digital arrest’ scams have further raised concerns about the misuse of official-looking visits. Against this backdrop, the QR verification mechanism is designed to give residents a quick, reliable way to confirm they are dealing with authorised Census personnel.

Red flags to watch out for

Authorities have cautioned residents to stay alert to pressure tactics used by fraudsters. “Legitimate Census officials will never demand immediate confidential information (other than the list of the Census questions) under urgency, nor will they ever ask for money or funds of any kind,” Landge added. Any such demand is a clear red flag. Residents are advised to disengage immediately and report the incident.

Self-enumeration module

Census officials said that those who missed the option to fill out the Census form digitally through the self-enumeration module need not worry, as the door-to-door visits will ensure everyone is covered.

“There is no cause for concern where citizens were unable to geo-tag their exact home location while filling the self-enumeration form. The enumerators will verify these entries on the ground, using downloaded maps of their assigned house-listing block and then link them to self-enumeration IDs,” Landge said.