Declaring Your Independence
from Junk mail
A How-To Guide
Don't Let Marketers Pass Your Name Around
Any time you order a product by mail, enter a contest, subscribe to a magazine, send in a warranty card, or otherwise give your name and address to a company or organization, you may be placed on a mailing list. The company or organization may then rent, sell or trade the list with your name on it. To limit your exposure, write "Please do not rent or sell my name" or "No mailing lists" next to your name. (Also consider not sending in the warranty card for a new product - it's usually not required.)
Reduce Junk mail, Telephone Solicitations and Email Spam
Junk mail
One effective way to cut postal junk mail is to remove your name from national mailing lists. To do so, go online and register with the Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA) Mail Preference Service. (Once you are on their site, scroll down until you see the silver "Register" button.) Registering with the service indicates that you do not want to be contacted by solicitors.
You can register by submitting your name and address directly from their website, or print out a form from their site and mail it in. (In both cases, the DMA asks you to type in your name and address online. Depending on your choice, this information is then submitted electronically, or used to generate the mail in form.)
Two additional things to note: DMA requires a payment of $1 with the mail in form. If you wish to submit the information electronically, it is free, but DMA asks for a credit card to verify your address. DMA does not charge your card. Obviously, giving one’s credit card number makes many people squeamish. And truth be told, asking for your credit card is probably intended in part to discourage people from registering. Nevertheless, the service is legit and registering does reduce your junk mail. (One caveat: it works only for national mail, not local mail, and only for residential addresses, not businesses.)
New American Dream has partnered with an organization called 41pounds.org who promises to completely remove you from up to 95% of the junk mail lists by contacting each organization from which you receive mail and/or catalogs for a one-time fee of $41. As if removing your contact information from the junk mail lists isn't enough, they'll also be donating approximately 50% of their fee to the New American Dream junk mail campaign! What are you waiting for? Click here to begin the process with 41pounds.org and help our campaign! |
Telephone solicitations
Cut down on calls from telemarketers by registering online at www.donotcall.gov.
Junk e-mail
Signing up for DMA's Email Preference Service cuts down on unwanted spam.
Sick of Credit Card Offers?
The main consumer credit reporting agencies, TransUnion, Experian and Equifax, maintain mailing lists that are often used by credit card and insurance companies to send out Junk mail. The good news is that you can call a single number to get your name and address removed from the mailing lists circulated by all three agencies (as well as that of a fourth company, Innovis).
Just call: 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688)
The number - which connects you to a recorded message - works 24 hours a day. You will be prompted to give your full name, address, telephone number and social security number. (People often ask about the necessity of giving their social security number. The credit bureaus already have access to people's social security numbers, and claim that they ask for the numbers here to confirm the requests). When given options, press 3 to have your name removed permanently, or press 1 to have your name removed for just two years.
Unwanted Catalogs: Make a Quick Call to the 800 Number
If you receive unwanted catalogs or other mail from specific sources, call the (often toll-free) customer service number of the organization or business. Request that your name be removed from their mailing list. Other options are to make your request via e-mail from the company's website, or via letter or postcard. Since the mailing label will help the company identify how you are listed in its files, have the label handy when you call, or tape it to the postcard if you make a written request. Sign and date your request.
Reduce Unwanted Mail At Work
The Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Service cannot be used for business addresses, so you'll need a different strategy to stop Junk mail at work. For tips on how to deal with business Junk mail, see the National Waste Prevention Coalition's "Reduce Business Junk mail" website at: http://your.kingcounty.gov/solidwaste/nwpc/bizjunkmail.htm