Not sure how to respond to the survey when it hits your mailbox?
Take heed.
Below is a sample letter to the Census Bureau after various intrusive manipulations to obtain information.
Many more responses from recipients can be found at the link at the end of this posting.
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"They will not leave you alone if you don't return the survey or respond to it.
I sent the following letter, and restated it during one of the multiple phone calls from them. Since I sent the letter, they never bothered me again, and I never received any fine.
Feel free to copy and paste - Jim
Attention Heather Polo - ACS
US Census Bureau
Boston Regional Office
2 Copley Place, Suite 301
Boston, MA 02116
I received your “American Community Survey” some time ago, and shortly thereafter returned the survey, including only the information you are authorized to collect, and I am required to provide, per the requirements of Article I, Section 2, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution, that is, the number of persons in our household, for the purposes of proper apportionment of our US Congressional representation. I left all of the other personal and private questions in the survey unanswered.
I included a note with the returned survey stating that I would continue to refuse to answer these additional questions as a matter of principle, and I requested that no phone calls or visits to my home be made by your agency. Despite this request, my wife has subsequently been visited by an unannounced and uninvited representative of your Bureau, and I was later telephoned by him.
Thank you for your interest in the age, racial composition, daily habits, and private information regarding the private lives and private property of the members of my household. While we understand your assertion that this information is needed for some reason deemed important by somebody, and that the information requested will be kept strictly confidential, I respectfully decline to participate in this “American Community Survey”, and request that you do not misdirect further efforts to gather this private information about the members of my houshold from either myself or any other source.
I’ve requested that you respect my privacy once, in writing, in the note I returned with your survey. Although Mark Rolfsema, the field representative, was professional, thourough and pleasant enough, I’ve requested the Bureau cease these harrassing efforts a second time during the phone call after he visited my home. Let this letter be the third request that you respect my privacy and my requests.
Be advised that no matter how intensive your efforts become, nor what kind of fine, penalty, prosecution or imprisonment you may wish to threaten, I, as a free American citizen, will not allow any agency of this government to demand, under penalty of law, that I disclose private and personal information about the members of my household. If such a law exists, it should not exist, for it would be truly unconstitutional.
There are two adults and two children living at this residence. Beyond that, please cease and desist all further efforts to gather personal and private information about the members of my household, it will not be provided.
Respectfully,"
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