Answered a long questionnaire from the Census today

[RainCaster]

This is the third one in a week. Mostly about my feelings about the economy and the virus. I let the have it - and filled out the free form box at the end with a very honest and picturesque description of our pResident and my opinions of his skills.

Anyone else ever got these?

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

1. Are you sure it was from the actual Census Bureau?

You should really only be getting one questionnaire, either the short form or the long form. I got a mailing several months ago that directed me to go on line and answer the questions. I had the short form, and it took about a minute to fill out. I'm under the impression that they are trying very hard to have everything done on line, insofar as that's possible.

Three in one week seems odd. Maybe you should contact the Census Bureau.

[RainCaster]

3. they texted to my phone:

The US Census Bureau needs your help to understand coronavirus impact.

https://covid.census.gov/jfe/form/SV_0P73zM7bFdxbCeh?Q_DL=SMSD_wRxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx&Q_CHL=smsinvite

Reply STOP to cancel

I obscured part of the URL, but you get the picture.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

5. I am feeling very skeptical here.

If I got something like that I'd contact the Census Bureau to see if it's legit.

There's just something off. Why would the Census Bureau suddenly want to understand the coronavirus impact. Really?

In the semi-distant past, my husband and I lived in two different places, in two different parts of the country, that were addresses that the Census Bureau flagged to ask additional questions/survey further in years between the decennial census. It was simply a bizarre coincidence, and yet was quite interesting. Back then (one was in 1981, the other in 1988 or so) a real live Census person knocked on our door. It's possible we'd received some sort of advance warning. You understand this was so very long ago that I simply don't recall the details.

What was fascinating was the kind of information the Census Bureau gathered in between the official Census. This country generally does an amazing thing with the Census.


Some years back I was trying to figure out if something I thought was true was verifiable, and someone suggested I check Census records. Which I was able to do (the specifics really aren't important) and wow, what I thought was going on really was going on. We are fortunate to live in a country that conducts a thorough Census every ten years, and lots of other stuff inbetween. The information gathered is amazing.

[CloudWatcher]

2. ahhhh, wait a minute.

Ah, no. I think if it's asking about the virus, it's not the real Census long form!

Here's info on the long form: https://www.census.gov/dmd/www/pdf/d3239a.pdf

I'm pretty sure they didn't have time to add questions about the virus to it.

I suspect you're getting fake mail from some less-than-ethical group pretending to be the Census.

[TreasonousBastard]

4. This sounds like the new Census covid survey, and it legitimate, although...

I'm not sure while you're getting so many on your phone. Maybe it's just bugging you so you will log on with a browser. Anyway, millions of questionnaires are being sent out.

https://www.census.gov/householdpulsedata

What is the Household Pulse Survey?
The U.S. Census Bureau, in collaboration with five federal agencies, is in a unique position to produce data on the social and economic effects of COVID-19 on American households.

The Household Pulse Survey is designed to deploy quickly and efficiently, collecting data to measure household experiences during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Data will be disseminated in near real-time to inform federal and state response and recovery planning.

FWIW, the Census Bureau does a good dozen or so other surveys besides the decennial. It gets very confusing in decennial years when people don't know this and they're getting another survey in the mail or over the phone.

[RainCaster]

6. Yep, that's the one

I remember, because it seemed odd to me that they were looking for a pulse.

My twisted sense of humor got the better of me, and I replied.

[Raine]

7. I got a long one but it didn't ask about the economy or

the virus, it asked stuff like how many rooms in my house etc. I didn't fill it out actually what with the pandemic and all I forgot all about it, I guess it's somewhere around.

[TreasonousBastard]

8. That sounds like The American Community Survey, which used to be the Long Form, but...

they broke it out into a separate survey so they wouldn't have to wait 10 years for an update.

If you don't fill it out and send it in, someone will be knocking on your door to get the info.