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I Hate The Census Bureau!!!

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Smile

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A few weeks ago they started leaving notes on my door asking me to participate in a survey for the cdc. It said it was voluntary so I ignored them. The woman who wa leaving the notes kept writing things inside like, "I keep missing you", ect. I was annoyed but not too nervous. Than, one day I leave my apartment and there's another note. Ok. I go to my car and there's a piece of paper stuck in my windshield. She wrote me a note saying that my neighbors told her which car was mine and could I please call her to do the survey!

That's when I got seriously scared. I called the census bureau to try and confirm that she was real but they disconnected me. I decided to avoid. Pushed it out of my mind best I could. A few days later I have missed call from a phone number I don't recognize and the voicemail says it's the same woman asking me to call her back!!! I texted her that I DO NOT want to take the survey, that her actions are bordering on harassment and that she needs to stop contacting me. She replied that she didn't ask my neighbors which car was mine, they just offered and that she was only doing her job.

A sheriff from nearby had given me his card a few months ago, in case I ever needed anything. So I called him. He said it's insane that she followed my car and he was concerned as to how she got my cell phone number. He asked me if there's anyone that's upset with me. Oh my god! That sounds like a line from a movie right before the person is killed! I said of course not! I keep to myself. He said that as long as they don't contact me again I should be fine but that if they do, I may want to file a police report.

A few days ago I got a letter fedexed to my house from some census bureau supervisor asking me to do the survey. I figured this must be their last ditch effort.

Just now, I was sitting on my porch (screened in thank god) and this woman pops up and says, "oh hi! I was about to knock on your door." Ok that right there was enough to send my heart into triple beats per second. She tells me she's the other woman's supervisor and asked me to tell her what happened. I did. She said it was unacceptable that she left a note in my car and that would scare her too. She said she doesn't know how the woman got my cell phone # because it's not in my file. I told her I spoke to the police about it.

And than she goes on to ask me if she could do just a 2 minute survey right now! She said she's desperate, people are so upset with the government now, she'll only use my first name, yadda yadda. Duh! I said absolutely not.

Sitting in bed now. Popped a Xanax immediately. But I'm petrified to move! To breathe! Shaking so badly. Freezing. When Xanax kicks in, I'm getting in my car... Away from here for a few hours. Will call cop friend tom.

My god, this is all so stupid and insane :(
 
I know what I'd do. If fill out the survey as an alter ego. Just make up some outlandish personality with many children and a spouse in jail. I would leave race with a ? My pretend children would be super smart despite their struggles, blah, blah just have fun with it. Give yourself a different income, etc.
 
For those of us whom need to know our rights:
~~~~


http://www.census.gov/privacy/

"Federal Law
Title 13 of the U.S. Code protects the confidentiality of all your information. Violating this law is a crime with severe penalties."

"Contact our Customer Service Center at (301) 763-INFO (4636) or toll-free 1-800-923-8282, or visit our FAQs."

@Smile consider verifying the personnel & that the survey is actually happening in your area via customer service number. Consider reporting the car as well as telephone incident. Inquire as to how this data was obtained and offer the supervisor's name on the envelop as well.

This should stop further incident.
 
I totally feel compassion for you and I get that this is upsetting. I really do.

If you want to know why they are so persistent, though, I will tell you: the government only provides funding based on the census bureau. If some people choose not to participate in the census then disability benefits, health care, food stamps, road repairs and other programming will not have the money they need. (Because it looks like less people live in your town than actually do.) The government still has the money, mind you, but they can use it for other things.

It sounds like that worker was feeling stressed and desperate.

I do hope you feel better soon. It is totally understandable that you are feeling triggered. This too shall pass.
 
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