Anybody else get a visit?

[mastiffhound]

I just had the CDC at my house. My mom was over and we were talking when a knock came at the door. My English mastiff went to the door barking like crazy so my pit bull joined in too. I asked who the guy was and what he wanted, I live in the country down a road that isn't on any map or gps so we don't get visitors. Ever. He said he was from the CDC and it was a survey. I asked what about. He said it was just a few questions. I asked if these were health related questions. He said not really. I again asked what these questions were about. At this point my mom came over and told him we didn't want to answer any questions, and he was interrupting our conversation.

He offered to come back at a different time, but never told me what his questions were about. My mom told him don't bother (yes she is a little bossy). This whole thing makes me uneasy. I looked pretty hard at his ID badge and he looked to be who he said he was. After all the stories on many sites about people having their guns confiscated for being on anti-anxiety or anti-depressants it kind of got the hair standing up on the back of my neck. The fact that he wouldn't give me a direct answer was strange too. Anybody else get a visit?

 

[PavePusher]

Always ask such people for ID that backs up their claim...

 

[Ryanxia]

My go to answer is always 'I don't remember.' And that's only IF I feel inclined to answer.

 

[Armymutt]

Do you raise any livestock? There's a few diseases coming out of China right now. Also could be checking for foot and mouth disease.

 

[mastiffhound]

We have a few chickens, if we lost them then no biggie. His ID badge looked legit but the beating around the bush on answering my question weirded me out. If I show up at someones door unannounced you can bet I would give some straight answers. He did ask me how many lived at my house. Last time I checked that's a census question.

 

[mtrmn]

Allegedly you have the right to remain silent.

How well do you know the sheriff? Might give them a call to see if this guy's legit, and to have him removed from your property if he remains after being forbidden.

 

[12many]

i'D be more concerned about someone trying to case the place than the government. It it was CDC I don't think it would have thing to do with taking guns or evaluating for guns. That is my opinion.

 

[morcey2]

We have a few chickens....

Grasping at straws here, but maybe bird flu related:

http://www.businessweek.com/article...e-a-vaccine-for-chinas-latest-bird-flu-strain

I doubt it, though.

Matt

 

[leprechaun50]

Also could be checking for foot and mouth disease.

Joe Biden wasn't there, was he??????

 

[TheSaint]

You did the right thing by asking him what was the nature of his visit. It is curious as to why he didn't give you a straight answer.

 

[Telekinesis]

I'd think it was a guy casing the place before I thought the government was trying to take my guns through the CDC. Did you ask for his business card? You could also call the nearest CDC office and see if they had anyone asking survey questions in your area.

 

[hso]

If CDC was canvasing your county Public Health department should know about it.

I'd call them and the sheriff and provide the name and description of the person to both.

 

[THe Dove]

He wasn't from the CDC in my opinion based on what you said....... (CDC being the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention based out of Atlanta, GA......

What state are you in? The CDC does enlist others to conduct house to house surveys occasionally and this may be one of those times, I don't know.......

The Dove

 

[mastiffhound]

I'd think it was a guy casing the place

I would have thought that but the guy was early 50's or so.

 

[mastiffhound]

I'm going to give the health dept. a call anyways just to be sure.

 

[sota]

what... old(er) people don't rob? that just means they've never been caught.

 

[mastiffhound]

Well I'm older, with my problems I wouldn't crawl through anyones window. With most people out in the country being firearm owners a person would think twice, but maybe that's just me not knowing the in and outs of robbing.

 

[radar1972]

People over 50 yrs of age can case houses, too. I'd still check with your local CDC and sheriff as mentioned by others.

 

[slidemuzik]

Doesn't anybody else remember this?
" CDC Will Now Be Free To Research Gun Violence for First Time in 17 Years
Link> http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slat...rs_call_for_cdc_gun_violence_research_17.html

Maybe?

 

[Torian]

CDC? I would be pretty skeptical if they showed up at my door. His failure to answer your question about the nature of his visit only heightens my suspicions.

Something doesn't add up.

 

[BigBore44]

He never would have come inside. I would have met him on the porch. Pit in one hand, and pistol in the other. It is your property. He is only there at your leisure. And I would have had mom on the phone with the local sherriff. But that's just me.

 

[TAKtical]

I wouldnt have let him leave until he answered a few questions.
1.) who are you?
2.) why are you here?
3.) how did you get my name and or address?
4.) what is the nature of the questions you were sent here to ask?
5.) what is the name and number of your supervisor?
6.) what is the address of your office?
If this person refused to answer my questions, I would immediately call the police, take down his license plate number and quietly stand behind or in front of his vehicle to ensure that he could not flee the scene before police arrive. He may not answer my questions but I would bet my last dollar he will be answering questions when officer friendly arrives on the scene.

 

[Averageman]

I had a "Representative" of a Pest Control Company come to my door just as I was about to go to the range and work on a .22 pistol.
I was comming out of the garage, just as he decided to walk across my front yard to the door.
Immeadiatly this guy had me very curious as his dress, manner and demeanor said "Meth Head" to me. I told him I wasn't interested and I was on my way out. I got in the truck and he left the yard.
As I made it to the corner something told me to go back home so I circled the block. There he was again, on my doorstep.
I ran him off and watched him go down the street and then notified some neighbors that this Tweeker was in the neighborhood. I then stayed in the area and called the nonemergency number for the Local Police and waited for them.
If this wasn't a recon for a break in I would be very surprised.

 

[boom boom]

As a graduate student, I picked up work doing USDA farm surveys and Ag Census work. As far as animal diseases including bird flu--my father owned a poultry and egg operation, usually these are dealt with by the State Livestock Boards/Dept. of Ag, etc. at the state level. We never dealt with the CDC directly despite over the years having an outbreak of avian flu due to a hot (defective) live virus vaccine once.

When I did Agriculture surveys in the field, I had a photo id and also could provide a 1-800 number and a regular phone number for individuals with questions to call to verify my purpose and identification. Only one took it that far because I was working on Saturday and he felt that govt. employees only worked M-F.

The CDC direct surveys that I am aware of that involve individuals usually deal with human health issues so it could be genuine. Field survey takers are expensive and rarely used for random checks at home--much more likely to use cheaper phone or mail contact--so if it was genuine---your household was chosen for a reason. For some reason, your household was targeted for some particular survey after demonstrating some characteristic that was being studied. The apparent refusal to answer simple questions about the survey is fishy. I could always indicate generally what the reason for the survey about in one sentence.

Might want to check out the CDC website for contact numbers and call them directly.

 

[MilliradianDOT]

I would be willing to stake my paycheck that he was casing your place for a robbery. When I was in middle school and home from school one day, it was just my sister and I on the farm. A guy came up in a van and told us, who were none the wiser at the time, that he was from the "gas company checking our meter." Well we get all our gas from the farm coop and they come to top off the tank once a month so this lit the parents up when they got home.

Sure enough, two days later a chainsaw and weedeater vanished from the barn and three neighbors down the road reported the same thing. Only he told them he was some sort of traveling painter. That story is a little more believable as there are crews of guys who go around asking to paint peoples barns in the summer where I am from.

But the mindset that it's way out in the country so nobody will be brave enough to rob us gun toting rednecks is quite the opposite of what it should be. Crooks know country folk have day jobs too and the chances of a cop driving by are slim to none making farms great targets for the b*st*rds.