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Issue Date: March 9, 2008
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5 things
you need to
know about |
Stopping junk mail
1. Get off the lists. Go to dmachoice.org and click on "Remove my name from those lists." That lets you register with the Mail Preference Service of the Direct Marketing Association to get off mailing lists. Online registration is free (or $1 through the mail) and is good for three years, says DMA's Patricia Kachura. This move alone should stop 80% of unsolicited mail within four months.
Follow these tips to keep unwanted mail to a minimum.
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2. Don't register products. Your proof of purchase of a new product serves as a guarantee of warranty for that item, so you don't need to fill out questionnaire-style product registration forms (unless you're concerned about recall alerts), says Tom Watson of the National Waste Prevention Coalition. "They're used for mailing lists," he says. And never sign up for contests and sweepstakes, Watson adds.
3. Squash the offers. To stop preapproved credit offers, have your name removed from lists supplied by the major consumer credit reporting companies. Visit optoutprescreen.com or call the toll-free number 888-567-8688; with both methods, you're covered for five years. You also can opt out permanently by phone or by mail using a form found on the website. "Not only will you nix the offers, but you'll be reducing your chances of identity theft," says Beth Givens of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.
4. Remain anonymous. Supermarket loyalty cards enable marketers to track buying habits and can generate unsolicited mail. Givens recommends paying cash, avoiding supermarkets that use these cards or signing up for cards using a pseudonym like Jane or Joe Shopper, with no address, to preserve your anonymity.
5. Stay vigilant. Buying online is the main culprit for catalog overload, says Tim Sanchez of the non-profit consumer group New American Dream. When you make a purchase, immediately send an e-mail to the company or call its toll-free number and ask that your name be removed from the mailing list. And the new catalogchoice.org lets you choose which catalogs to refuse.
-- Mary Forsell
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