Is the Houston Health Department sending out emails asking people to update their immunization records? Does the U.S. Census Bureau really want to know how you spent your stimulus money?
The VERIFY team has heard from several people who have gotten surveys asking those types of questions.
They wanted to know, are they real?
One email appears to be from the Houston Health Department Immunization Bureau. It tells the recipient that the Texas Immunization Registry shows their COVID-19 vaccination record needs to be updated.
It asks the person to call the COVID-19 call for assistance and includes a link to a survey to acknowledge that you have read the email message.
Tammy wrote the VERIFY team, “I am concerned that this is a scam ... and would like … to verify.”
Our source for this is the Houston Health Department.
A spokesperson tells the VERIFY team, “Yes, it’s legit. The Houston Health Department sends out emails such as the one that you forwarded to me.”
So, we can Verify the Houston Health Department is sending emails requesting updated vaccination information.
There is another email going around asking people to take a survey to help guide policymakers in making decisions about Americans’ finances, educational opportunities, employment, and mental health during the pandemic. The email appears to be from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Keith asked us to verify.
Our source for this is the U.S. Census Bureau.
According to the agency’s website, the survey started in April. It asks questions about how various things such as childcare, employment and consumer spending associated with stimulus payments have been affected by the pandemic.
If you are picked to participate, you will get an email from covid.survey@census.gov or a text from the number 39242*.
Each page of the survey will include an eight-digit approval number by the Office of Management and Budget (OMG).
So, we can verify both surveys are real.
Not everyone will get the Census survey. The Bureau is randomly choosing addresses that were scientifically selected to represent the U.S. population.