Re: Dealing with Junk Mail

[Guest guest]

Indeed, I always mail the entire contents of a junk mail package immediately

back to the sender if they've included a " Business Reply " envelope. Not only

do they get to pay the postage, that also have to pay someone to open it and

sort through the contents for the " magic " order form. I *do not* reply

anonymously with hopes they will subsequently remove me from their mailing

database.

In the same vein, I find that an excellent method of handling unwanted

telephone solicitors is to enthusiastically greet them, briefly expressing a

strong desire for whatever they are selling and immediately ask if they mind

holding on for a moment. Don't wait for a reply, just set the phone down and

walk away.

[Excellent idea! I normally speak to them in a Russian, German, Japanese,

Italian, Zulu

or other very foreign and difficult to understand accent, which usually drives

them crazy

enough to dispose of me rapidly. I like your idea, because it ties them up for

a few minutes.

If more people did that, then they would waste a great deal of their days on

hold. Another

method is to tell them that you are very busy at the moment, but to please to

give you their

phone number so that you can call back later (which they never do). Mel Siff]

DW Hines

Pensacola FL

BTW, if you have a supply of extra bricks you need to dispose of, a business

reply envelope can be taped to each one and mailed. It will be delivered to

your favorite junk mailer, 1st class postage due.

> Dealing with Junk Mail

>

>

> Someone sent me this interesting and practical way of dealing with the

> perpetual flood of junk mail that is sent to us every day. I

> certainly think

> it worthwhile to try.....

>

> When you get ads in your phone or utility bill, include them with the

> payment. Let them throw it away. When you get those pre approved

> letters in

> the mail for everything from credit cards to 2nd mortgages and junk like

> that, most of them come with postage paid return envelopes, right?

>

> Well, why not get rid of some of your other junk mail and put it

> in these

> cool little envelopes! Send an ad for your local chimney cleaner

> to American

> Express. Or a pizza coupon to Citibank. If you didn't get

> anything else that

> day, then just send them their application back!

>

> If you want to remain anonymous, just make sure your name isn't

> on anything

> you send them. You can send it back empty if you want to just to

> keep them

> guessing!

>

> Eventually, the banks and credit card companies will begin

> getting all their

> junk back in the mail. Let's let them know what it's like to get

> junk mail,

> and best of all THEY'RE paying for it! Twice! Let's help keep

> our postal

> service busy since they say e-mail is cutting into their business, and

> that's why they need to increase postage again!

>

> Dr Mel C Siff

[Guest guest]

For junk mail:

Start by sending a postcard or letter to DMA Mail Preference Service, PO Box

9008, Farmingdale NY 11735-9008. Include your complete name, address, zip

code and a request to " activate the preference service " . For up to five

years, this will stop mail from all member organizations that you have not

specifically ordered products from. This option may stop catalogs and

promotions you would have liked to receive.

Although anger toward the caller is reasonable, other suggestions thus far

do not reduce these unwanted calls:

Federal law prohibits telemarketers from " Initiating an outbound telephone

call to a person when that person previously has stated that he or she does

not wish to receive an outbound telephone call made by or on behalf of the

seller whose goods or services are being offered. " . You may simply interrupt

the telemarketer and say " Please permanently remove me from your calling

list " . Remember that they just interrupted you. If the same people call

back, they are violating the law. Ask them for their company name,

supervisor name and phone number. If you wish to quote Federal law to the

telemarketer, you may read it at Federal Trade Commission: Telemarketing

Sales Rule.

[Many thanks for that most useful advice! We certainly will be using it often.

Mel Siff]

Regards,

Lester Long

New York, NY

Dealing with Junk Mail

> >

> >

> > Someone sent me this interesting and practical way of dealing with the

> > perpetual flood of junk mail that is sent to us every day. I

> > certainly think

> > it worthwhile to try.....

> >

> > When you get ads in your phone or utility bill, include them with the

> > payment. Let them throw it away. When you get those pre approved

> > letters in

> > the mail for everything from credit cards to 2nd mortgages and junk like

> > that, most of them come with postage paid return envelopes, right?

> >

> > Well, why not get rid of some of your other junk mail and put it

> > in these

> > cool little envelopes! Send an ad for your local chimney cleaner

> > to American

> > Express. Or a pizza coupon to Citibank. If you didn't get

> > anything else that

> > day, then just send them their application back!

> >

> > If you want to remain anonymous, just make sure your name isn't

> > on anything

> > you send them. You can send it back empty if you want to just to

> > keep them

> > guessing!

> >

> > Eventually, the banks and credit card companies will begin

> > getting all their

> > junk back in the mail. Let's let them know what it's like to get

> > junk mail,

> > and best of all THEY'RE paying for it! Twice! Let's help keep

> > our postal

> > service busy since they say e-mail is cutting into their business, and

> > that's why they need to increase postage again!

> >

> > Dr Mel C Siff