Long time reader but finally decided to join in on the discussion around here.

One of the main reasons I joined was recent encounters with the US Census. I've been harassed on numerous occasions in the last week to complete another survey by the Census called the Community Population Survey. The guy shows up at my door with a card and some letter with just my address written on the envelope. I told him I already completed my census survey and one person lives here and that's all he needed to know. The next night he returned (after dark) and knocked on my door twice. He left a note saying to call him to do the survey. I disregarded it and I wrote a note that said "DO NOT CONTACT ME AGAIN. I DO NOT WISH TO PARTICIPATE" taped it to my door along with his letter which states the survey is purely voluntary. Tuesday night I get two phone calls to my personal cell phone. My cell phone number is on the DO NOT CALL List and if this survey is suppose to be at random based on address, my question is exactly how the heck he got my private cell phone number? This is disturbing to me...afterall I've never given any info on my Census except for that one person lives here. NO name and no number. After it was reported that he was harassing my other neighbor in the same condo complex, I called the cops and reported him and the cops told me to just call them if he shows back up. Today I come home and he's sent me another letter stating maybe I don't understand the importance of the survey and to call him. I wrote across the letter "Contact me again and I"ll call the cops on you" and taped it to my door.

My question is this...how in the world does the Census or a Census field rep gain access to my private cell phone number when they aren't even suppose to know my name....only my address. This is disturbing considering they claim that all the information I provide is private (which of course is bs cause I know they use that information to sell to companies and so forth). Has anyone else encountered similar problems and what should I do now? I'm extremely angry that they violated my privacy and are calling me personally on a private phone number.

First of all welcome to the ATS fold! Glad to see somebody "new" coming into the fray on here.

There's a lot of things that don't add up with what the census ppl tell us, but it is fun to mess with them, despite the spooky factor of them repeatedly coming around.

In 2000, I wrote my responses, all bogus, and in crayon - I sh*t you not. Then I tore the whole thing up and sent it back in small pieces, with religious quotes written all over the envelope, LOL.

Sometimes you just gotta have fun with the stiffs.

Originally posted by mydarkpassenger
First of all welcome to the ATS fold! Glad to see somebody "new" coming into the fray on here.

There's a lot of things that don't add up with what the census ppl tell us, but it is fun to mess with them, despite the spooky factor of them repeatedly coming around.

In 2000, I wrote my responses, all bogus, and in crayon - I sh*t you not. Then I tore the whole thing up and sent it back in small pieces, with religious quotes written all over the envelope, LOL.

Sometimes you just gotta have fun with the stiffs.

Thank you for the welcome! I actually have just decided to screw with them. I wrote on the second letter in marker DO NOT CONTACT ME AGAIN AND NEXT TIME YOU STEP FOOT ON MY PROPERTY MY NEIGHBORS ALL KNOW TO CALL THE COPS. We'll see what happens but I'm interested to find out from anyone how they go about getting my cell phone number ? I may start handing his number out as my own number when I go places now or if businesses ask for a phone number. I'm so paranoid of these Census workers. THanks again for the welcome and look forward to posting more.