Abstract: An information collection system for capturing demographic data from customers that conduct business transactions with cash. The information collection system includes a bill reader and a data collector. The bill reader is capable of selectively receiving from a customer a unique identification code from a bill. The unique identification code identifies customer information. The bill reader transmits the unique identification code identifying customer information for at least one of signaling bill payment to a biller and providing collectable customer data to the data collector. The data collector is operatively associated with the bill reader. The data collector is capable of receiving, transmitting, and storing the customer information from the unique identification code.