Do you and how do you combat junk mail?

burritos · 07-26-2006, 06:47 PM

I've written to the DMA(direct marketing agency) and have asked them to take me off of all mailing lists. I've contacted the credit report agencies to put my ssn on fraud alert to stop all new mailings from credit cards. I've also preprinted little cutout messages asking "To please remove me off your mailing list to reduce unnecessary costs and wastes." The paper I print these messages is scrap paper and I use excess charity mailing address stickers to stick the message any new applications I may get for credit cards, home equity loans, etc... I've been doing this for the last 3 years and I'll get maybe one junk letter a month. I'm starting to do it with the junk mail at work now.

galaxee · 07-26-2006, 07:04 PM

i found that writing to the DMA and whatever that phone number is to have "preapproved offers of credit no longer sent to you" cut out a huge percentage of the junk mail we got. to finish it off had to call a lot of catalog companies (and lenscrafters like 30 times) and have them remove me from their lists. (still not sure if lenscrafters has gotten the message)

i also found it wasteful, irritating, etc.

now if only i could get the mail carrier to quit putting those huge flyers in my mailbox twice a week... i think i'd be satisfied.

Salsawonder · 07-26-2006, 07:14 PM

I use a big black marker and write NO all over the offers and such. Then I mail them back in those envelopes provided...come to think of it Capitol One must have finally gotten the message. I use to get crap from them up to 4 times in one week!! My mother gets every "missionary" and medical funding request known to man. She will send certain ones $3-7 up to 4-6 "donations" a month. I always ask her if she knows who is cashing her checks, she is 90.

Godiva · 07-26-2006, 07:14 PM

I hadn't thought about it, but I had my name taken off using the above and it just occured to me....the junk mail is way down.

I only get the cataogues I actually order from. I know they *say* "this is your last one unless you order" but I guess the price of postage finally made them carry out their threat. No more Harriet Carter. Woo hoo.

I think contacting the DMA is a great start. I have also told all of my credit cards, etc, whenever they send one of those "can we share your info..." NO, you may NOT share or use it for anything. So it's way down.

Before I used to switch out the offers and put them in each others prepaid envelopes and then mail them back.

Salsawonder · 07-26-2006, 07:22 PM

I like the switch out thing even better! Really confuse them. I threatened those stupid dating services with a story of being a recent widow and if they did not stop sending things to me that I was going to sue them for emotional distress....no more mailings!

TheForce · 07-26-2006, 07:32 PM

Junk snail mail I don't mind too much. As for any business replay mail I get like the credit card applications I just rip those into shreds and stuff everything in the reply envelope and send it back.

Lately i've been sending them my garbage ( nothing that stinks or is illegal to send but useless stuff like paper or broken stuff like appliances or computer parts or even heavy objects like rocks ) in boxes. You can attach those business reply envelopes to boxes and send that company anything you want on their dime up to 75lbs. In fact I have a bunch of old dead cdrom drives I need to get rid of. Hope someone sends me a credit card application soon. Who will be the lucky one to get them? [evil laugh] HAHAHAHA!

[/evil laugh]

As for junk email I have a catch all emaill address with my host. That means I have unlimited email aliases. Whenever I sign up at a new site I use sitename@mydomainname.com and when the site starts to send me spam I just add it to my block list and never see a spam again.

skruse · 07-26-2006, 07:56 PM

I write "fraud" in big bold letters and stuff everything into the prepaid postage snail mail envelope.

For email I use an underscore as part of my email address, i.e., j_smith@xyz.net. Using the underscore appears to eliminate 99% of unwanted mail. Also I work through .mac (the Apple-sponsored site). This is another factor that eliminates most junk mail.

More than two years ago I was with Earthlink and even with the spam filters turned to maximum, I was still overwhelmed with spam. With .mac life is good.

Godiva · 07-26-2006, 08:01 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(theforce @ Jul 26 2006, 06:32 PM) [snapback]292844[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

You can attach those business reply envelopes to boxes and send that company anything you want on their dime up to 75lbs.
[/b]

Really? I didn't know that but that's good to know. If I ever start getting stuff again.....I'll be getting rid of some junk myself.

I use .mac. Their spam filter seems to "learn" and it's been doing great. I get very little and it all goes directly to the junk mail file. I have a hotmail account and I can only receive from addresses already in my address folder. So if there is any spam, it also goes directly to junk and is deleted automatically. I never even see it.

burritos · 07-26-2006, 08:02 PM

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(theforce @ Jul 26 2006, 06:32 PM) [snapback]292844[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

Junk snail mail I don't mind too much. As for any business replay mail I get like the credit card applications I just rip those into shreds and stuff everything in the reply envelope and send it back.

Lately i've been sending them my garbage ( nothing that stinks or is illegal to send but useless stuff like paper or broken stuff like appliances or computer parts or even heavy objects like rocks ) in boxes. You can attach those business reply envelopes to boxes and send that company anything you want on their dime up to 75lbs. In fact I have a bunch of old dead cdrom drives I need to get rid of. Hope someone sends me a credit card application soon. Who will be the lucky one to get them? [evil laugh] HAHAHAHA!

[/evil laugh]

As for junk email I have a catch all emaill address with my host. That means I have unlimited email aliases. Whenever I sign up at a new site I use sitename@mydomainname.com and when the site starts to send me spam I just add it to my block list and never see a spam again.
[/b]

You know. I've been hoarding up my dead batteries for like the last 3 years waiting for an appropriate time to appropriately dispose of. I should just send the next junk mail return envelope stuffed with batteries.

NuShrike · 07-26-2006, 09:30 PM

You call the opt-out number that one of the three credit bureaus lists on their website. That stops all the people scanning your credit file and sending you offers.

If you actually get to talk to any direct marketing person, ask them to put you on their DO NOT CALL/MAIL list. Taking you off the their current list has no guarantee you won't be put on very soon since they share/sell their (YOUR) info around a lot.

07-26-2006, 06:47 PM	#1
burritos Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: California Posts: 3,679 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: Package: #1 Thanks: 1 Thanked 22 Times in 17 Posts Friends: 8	I've written to the DMA(direct marketing agency) and have asked them to take me off of all mailing lists. I've contacted the credit report agencies to put my ssn on fraud alert to stop all new mailings from credit cards. I've also preprinted little cutout messages asking "To please remove me off your mailing list to reduce unnecessary costs and wastes." The paper I print these messages is scrap paper and I use excess charity mailing address stickers to stick the message any new applications I may get for credit cards, home equity loans, etc... I've been doing this for the last 3 years and I'll get maybe one junk letter a month. I'm starting to do it with the junk mail at work now. __________________ “Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest” Denis Diderot

07-26-2006, 07:04 PM	#2
galaxee resident lab rat Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: boilermaker territory Posts: 9,675 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: N/A Package: #5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 93 Times in 37 Posts Friends: 26	i found that writing to the DMA and whatever that phone number is to have "preapproved offers of credit no longer sent to you" cut out a huge percentage of the junk mail we got. to finish it off had to call a lot of catalog companies (and lenscrafters like 30 times) and have them remove me from their lists. (still not sure if lenscrafters has gotten the message) i also found it wasteful, irritating, etc. now if only i could get the mail carrier to quit putting those huge flyers in my mailbox twice a week... i think i'd be satisfied. __________________ black 2005 prius, a few mods that make me happy g: class of '09 in intense science DH: class of '09 in medical equipment hoping to discover the 'reward' part of the sacrifice-reward cycle soon!

07-26-2006, 07:32 PM	#6
TheForce I Plug-In My Prius Join Date: May 2005 Location: Wheelersburg, Ohio Posts: 2,726 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: Package: #7 Thanks: 1 Thanked 155 Times in 114 Posts Friends: 22	Junk snail mail I don't mind too much. As for any business replay mail I get like the credit card applications I just rip those into shreds and stuff everything in the reply envelope and send it back. Lately i've been sending them my garbage ( nothing that stinks or is illegal to send but useless stuff like paper or broken stuff like appliances or computer parts or even heavy objects like rocks ) in boxes. You can attach those business reply envelopes to boxes and send that company anything you want on their dime up to 75lbs. In fact I have a bunch of old dead cdrom drives I need to get rid of. Hope someone sends me a credit card application soon. Who will be the lucky one to get them? [evil laugh] HAHAHAHA! [/evil laugh] As for junk email I have a catch all emaill address with my host. That means I have unlimited email aliases. Whenever I sign up at a new site I use sitename@mydomainname.com and when the site starts to send me spam I just add it to my block list and never see a spam again. __________________ 2006 Prius Barcelona Red Package #7. Picked up 2006/01/02 Converted to Plug-In on 2008/08/12 with Hymotion L5 *Hybridfest 2007 & 2008 Peoples Choice Award * *Hybridfest 2009 Peoples Choice Best of Show Award * For a list of my mods visit http://www.jaygroh.com

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07-26-2006, 07:14 PM	#3
Salsawonder Silver Lining Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: La Mesa California Posts: 1,611 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: IV Package: Solar Roof Thanks: 32 Thanked 20 Times in 17 Posts Friends: 0	I use a big black marker and write NO all over the offers and such. Then I mail them back in those envelopes provided...come to think of it Capitol One must have finally gotten the message. I use to get crap from them up to 4 times in one week!! My mother gets every "missionary" and medical funding request known to man. She will send certain ones $3-7 up to 4-6 "donations" a month. I always ask her if she knows who is cashing her checks, she is 90.

07-26-2006, 07:22 PM	#5
Salsawonder Silver Lining Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: La Mesa California Posts: 1,611 My Car: 2010 Prius Model: IV Package: Solar Roof Thanks: 32 Thanked 20 Times in 17 Posts Friends: 0	I like the switch out thing even better! Really confuse them. I threatened those stupid dating services with a story of being a recent widow and if they did not stop sending things to me that I was going to sue them for emotional distress....no more mailings!

07-26-2006, 07:56 PM	#7
skruse Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Great Central Valley, Fresno, CA Posts: 1,206 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: Package: #6 Touring Thanks: 6 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Friends: 2	I write "fraud" in big bold letters and stuff everything into the prepaid postage snail mail envelope. For email I use an underscore as part of my email address, i.e., j_smith@xyz.net. Using the underscore appears to eliminate 99% of unwanted mail. Also I work through .mac (the Apple-sponsored site). This is another factor that eliminates most junk mail. More than two years ago I was with Earthlink and even with the spam filters turned to maximum, I was still overwhelmed with spam. With .mac life is good.

07-26-2006, 09:30 PM	#10
NuShrike my other Mobile Suit is a ... Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 1,367 My Car: Model: Package: Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	You call the opt-out number that one of the three credit bureaus lists on their website. That stops all the people scanning your credit file and sending you offers. If you actually get to talk to any direct marketing person, ask them to put you on their DO NOT CALL/MAIL list. Taking you off the their current list has no guarantee you won't be put on very soon since they share/sell their (YOUR) info around a lot.