‘Community survey’ led to harassment

I would like to reply to Nancy Diehl’s letter of Oct. 19. My neighbor received a packet titled “The American Community Survey” with a return address of the U.S. Census Bureau. This was in March 2011. She threw it away. She received another one in June 2011. Then the phone calls started. They called morning, afternoon and evening. She answered once and told them she did not choose to participate and please do not call again. The calls continued. She asked me to help her. I filed a complaint with the federal government and with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.

The calls continued. One Saturday, a man came to her house and looked through her windows and pounded on her front and side doors. She answered the side door and told him she was not going to answer any questions and to leave her alone. She then started to receive calls from a Hinsdale number. A friend of mine had also received the census form and she took it to her lawyer and he said to just fill it out and mail it back. My neighbor decided to mail it back just to have these visits and phone calls end. I called a woman at the Hinsdale number and told her my neighbor had mailed the forms back and to never call her again. The woman told me it would take three to four weeks.

Filing complaints didn’t help at all. We must write our congressmen and senators and demand that these surveys be stopped. They are disruptive and upsetting and should be against the law.

I hope this letter helps others who have been exposed to this survey.

Suzanne Minor

Rolling Meadows