Claim you never got it, if they question you.
Shred it, and play dumb.
I’d shred it.
Don’t answer it. The constitutional requirement is every ten years.
Sounds like the phone “survey” I got a few weeks ago. Asked my date of birth 3 times. I refused to answer. Must have been more than 50 questions about my deeply held beliefs concluding with, “And just for verification purposes, is this (my name) that I am speaking to?” I should have hung up after about the third question!
toss it..
Ya.. there is a law with crazy fines...
The Census currently has no enforcement division..
The Census is bound by law that says they CAN NOT turn personal information over to another department.
Thus.. They have no thugs.. and they can’t tell the thugs at the just us department about you.
So eff um.
I’ve tossed the 5 or 6 of them I have got over the years. If they have a good phone number for you expect them to call.
You don’t really expect all those Census Department employees to just go home for nine years between Censii, do you?
Shred it and if questioned say that it looked like an identity theft scam - which it could be.
Shred, shrivel and shut up! The three “S’s” of Socialist requirement paperwork. (Don’t know the meaning of “shrivel”, but I guess it’s sort of like “wad it up”.)
Horrible. Randomly issued.
U.S. Census Bureau: FAQs
Do I have to respond to the American Community Survey / Puerto Rico Community Survey? Yes. Respondents are required to answer all questions on the American Community Survey (ACS) to the best of their ability. Response to this and other Census surveys is required by law (Section 221 of Title 13, Chapter 7, United States Code). This chapter also contains information regarding offenses and possible penalties. According to Section 221, persons who do not respond shall be fined not more than $100. Title 18 U.S.C. Section 3571 and Section 3559, in effect amends Title 13 U.S.C. Section 221 by changing the fine for anyone over 18 years old who refuses or willfully neglects to complete the questionnaire or answer questions posed by census takers from a fine of "not more than $100" to "not more than $5,000."
Just found this -
http://www.truthistreason.net/how-to-legally-refuse-to-participate-in-the-census-survey
Marie,
I got one of those back in 2010, after I’d filled out and sent in the short 10 year form I think the Census Bureau sends them out every two years to “fill in the gaps” in the main 10 year census.
I answered the generic type questions on page one and sent it back. I got it back with a letter threatening me, etc. I wrote across the letter, “You have the info I’m willing to give you. I’m done with this now.” Never heard another word.
FYI.
You are required by law to answer it. However I have read many times that they will not prosecute if you quietly ignore it and any subsequent letters, and quietly agree to comply whenever they visit in person. Your choices include (1) take 12 hours of your life to give them a bunch of accurate information that is none of their business but might help you, (2) take several hours of your life to give them truthful but not helpful answers, (3) completely ignore this without making a fuss, or (4) some other option.
Truthful but not helpful: make it a game of giving the least accurate answer that can by some logic be justified as responsive to the exact words of the question. As one example, if they want to know how many bathrooms have running water, the answer is “zero” because all the taps are turned off. No, you do not have a mortgage on THIS property because on the day you filled out the survey it was kept in your safe deposit box, your desk at the office, etc. Your race is HUMAN. The monthly condo fee? That’s what you pay times the total number of condos in the building, since you didn’t know they were only asking for your share of that fee. Your home would sell for $20,000 (a true statement, it would sell very quickly at that price). Your most important job activities are following the orders of your employer. It can be a lot of fun, but that’s just my thoughts.
That’s the “long form” census, which is done on a rolling basis of selected citizens every year instead of everyone every ten years. Supposed to be cheaper.
It is mandatory, but no one ever has been prosecuted, probably because the invasive long form would never survive court scrutiny.
Pitch it, you won’t be struck by lightening.
Show me the law! Throw it out.....
I got a version of this from the Commerce Dept. several years ago. When I ignored it I got the usual threatening letter demanding I fill it out.
To have answered all of the questions truthfully would’ve taken my accounting department a day or two and my attorney a couple of hours to explain some of the questions.
So, what to do?
I took a very large Magic Marker, with a very wide tip, and finished the questioneer in less than 10 minutes. I guessed at every answer or flat made answers up. I used broad-stroke writing. The Magic Marker bled through several pages as to make them virtually illegible. In short, the government document was a total mess.
Mailed it off and never heard from them again.
It’s the survey form that they send out for the nine years in between the actual censuses to keep a bunch of marginal in-laws employed. Just make up a bunch of answers, make sure that you mark and then erase or try to correct the answers, make sure they don’t agree and make a copy of it because they will call. When they call, have your cheat sheet copy available. If you are in top form, you can make the phone call last 2 - 3 hours if you have personal emergencies that force you to put them on hold. Constantly remind them to speak up and have them repeat each question a couple of times. Offer multiple answers and suggest that they pick the one that fits their requirement. They finally hung up on me when I was going to put them on hold again to give the dog her medications.
Name, address, age, period!
I would never, ever tell them how much I make, when I come home, what time I go to sleep or take a shower. None of their business!