STOP the JUNK MAIL MONSTER

How Big is the Monster?

Each year, the Junk Mail Monster destroys about 68 million trees, wastes 28 billion gallons of water, and costs about $450,000,000 of your money to cart its promos, pleas and promises to and from incinerators, garbage dumps and recycling centers.

That equates to about 34 pounds of junk mail for every man, woman and child in the U.S. It's like stuffing a whole tree into our mail boxes every year.

How to Stop the Monster!

Each of us will spend an average of eight months of our lives dueling with the Monster. If we don't stop it early and often, it can swell out of control and literally deluge us with junk mail. Here's how:

1. Start saving the labels of all the variations of the names and addresses, which come to your mailbox. Every variation, no matter how small (or comical) is another name on a list, which gets sold to literally thousands of businesses.

2. Affix your labels to a page and make 7 copies. Send them to these seven listed brokers with a note asking to have them deleted from the broker's mailing lists.

3. Use the following magic words EVERY time you buy or order anything, give to charity, or sign up for a contest:

"Please do not sell, rent, or trade my name!"

For electronic removal, go to:

www.world.org/w/junkmail.html

A Dozen More Ways to Stop the Junk Mail Monster

1. If first class mail or pre-sorted first class mail sent the item, write "refused, return to sender" on the unopened mail and mail it. If it was sent by bulk mail DO NOT write this on the mail because the post office will not return it to the sender, unless it has "address correction requested" or "return postage guaranteed" written on the mailer. In these cases the post office will return it to the sender.
2. Use business reply envelopes to return solicitations with a note to remove names from lists.
3. Call toll free numbers listed on unwanted mail and ask to be taken off their list. They will probably want the code numbers on the label so have it ready.
4. Cancel unwanted subscriptions.
5. If you order from catalogs, call their toll-free number and request that you receive only as many issues, as you want. When requesting a catalog or ordering for the first time, specify not to sell, rent, or trade your name to any other company.
6. Call your credit card companies and ask to be placed on their "in house" list only, which is used only by them.
7. If you only contribute once per year to a charitable organization, ask them to only send you a request once per year.
8. When filling out any forms requiring your name and address, confirm they won't sell your name to mailing lists.
9. Call the company directly who sent the mail for instructions for removing names from their mailing lists. Different companies have different procedures. Some request a phone call, while others will take mail or fax only.
10. If a phone number cannot be found, return the label portion of the mail in a new envelope to their address (some businesses must see the label). Include a note with the removal request.
11. Don't fill out the warranty cards from new products. You are covered by the manufacturer's warranty whether you send in the card or not. Most of the time these cards are used simply to get your name on mailing lists.
12. Watch out for "contests" or "free offers." Generally their purpose is to sell you something or to get your name on lists.

How to Stop the Telemarketing Phone Calls

More than 7.7 million people work in the telemarketing industry, so chances are, if you have a phone, you're going to receive calls. Here are some tips to keep from receiving annoying calls.

Send your name, address, and telephone number including area code to:

Telephone Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 9014
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9014
(212) 768-7277

PhoneDisc
5711 South 86th Circle
Box 27347
Omaha, NE 68127
(800)-284-8353

Take advantage of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. It requires that telemarketers who call or fax you must put you on a "do not call" list -- IF you ask. Keep a record of your request. If they call again within one year you can sue them in small claims court. One lawsuit netted an irate customer over $1,500 in damages. You may still receive calls from charities, since they are exempt from the law.