Reducing and Preventing Junk Mail

I noticed different mail arriving with a spelling mistake in my name. It kept coming, from increasing different sources, including a political party! I had read that organizations sell their mailing lists and now I watched it happening.

From that point on I "returned to sender" by a slash through my name toward the return address. I wrote "unsolicited mail". There were many stops at the mailboxes. I systematically eliminated any legitimate mailings that I knew were selling their client base of names and addresses.

It means no more subscriptions, but now I receive only my bills :( and solicited mail. I think Reader's Digest is the worst offender for this practice. That's where my misspelled name originated. But I can't do a thing about those ones marked "Occupant". They go in the cat box as great scratch it up stuff.

Source: Observation. Deduction. Research. Patience. Success.

By Carol W. from Canada

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Irene C.

May 30, 20121 found this helpful

This means the mailman carting it back to p.o. and putting it in trash. Don't see how it accomplishes anything, except angry mailman.

kerly87
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 129 Feedbacks

May 30, 20120 found this helpful

Why would it anger a mail man? I do the same with mine IF a valid return address is shown with no "special instructions for undeliverable mail in accordance with...", which means trash. It does cut down on junk mail.

Carol W.

May 30, 20120 found this helpful

The mail goes into the big Post Office mail boxes here. It is picked up by a truck and bagged for the processing station. Since the number of mail boxes in Canada were recently halved, I doubt if anyone is complaining about my individual mailing habits.If everyone did it perhaps there would be a formal response. :).

I would not leave it in my mail box as mail is not collected that way - only from the big red community ones.

Linda Jones

June 1, 20121 found this helpful

If there is a paid envelope in the mailing I send it all back to them. Let them pay twice. If I got any other spam mail I include it in their return mail.

Patt

August 26, 20121 found this helpful

One way to reduce unsolicited mail is to say to each and every place that you order something is to say "Do not rent, call, mail or share my information in any form" I learned that from working at an incoming sales org. There is a box that they can click to say notify the company.

I was told if someone wants to stop mailings it would take 90 days because names and addresses are sent to the printer and then the printer has to set it up, etc so it takes time to remove. Of course if you need to change your address they only need a couple of days. I can think of a few politicians that could use some busy work, but I'm not suggesting you send it to them... just thinking about it is fun.