(OT) How to get off a mailing list ???

[Paintedcow]

Since telemarketers were mentioned on here, I have a similar issue with my mail. Somehow I got on a mailing list for hearing aids. I dont have any hearing problems whatsoever, and have no need for a hearing aid.

It began several years ago, with one company sending me their spam in an envelope, which is a plain white envelope, so I never knew what it was till I opened it. This company sent me their junk about 3 times a month. But it appears they sold my name to other hearing aid companies, so now I get this junk almost daily. I'd really like to be taken off their mailing list. But how do I do it????

To me, the mailbox is nothing but a thing to annoy me, because anything worthwhile is always buried in garbage. I find it really annoying to waste my time opening their crap. I have sort of learned their return addresses, so I just toss it in the trash before opening it, but the amount keeps growing, and the return addresses keep changing....

[Muggles]

I used to return the junk mail in their pre-paid envelopes and put mail X junk and send it to mail Y junk. I'd always black out any bar codes on the envelopes, to, in case they had some sort of tracking involved.

Not sure how to actually get off of snail mail mailing lists.

[Wade Garrett]

Clear tape the business reply envelope to an ordinary red brick and toss it into a mailbox. They company has to accept and pay for anything sent to them on their Business Reply Mail permit. That will usually get their attention and get you off their mailing list.

If not, next time tape it to a concrete block, a 16" paver, or an old tire...though you'll have to take it to the counter at the post office to mail it ;-)

[Muggles]

LOL!! Now, I'd never have thought of doing that! That's awesome.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Is that Beltone? I've been tossing their junk mail in the trash for years. About the age of 50 they started sending stuff a few times a year. I just toss it, but, you can try to contact but doubt it would do much good.

[gfretwell]

My post office would not take a brick but if you tape it to a big envelope full of newspaper they will take it.

[Muggles]

LOL Love these ideas!

[Paintedcow]

You got it!!! That was one of the first companies and biggest pest of all, but now I get others too. I guess you just explained how I got on their mailing list. It's just based on my age, and is automatic. Because I never sign up for contests, promotions, or any of that stuff.

[Peter]

[snip]

There are companies that make their money by acquiring publicly available records, organizing the data in those records into searchable databases, and then selling lists containing whatever selected data the client wants. Beltone probably paid one of those companies for the names and mailing addresses of all people over a certain age, living in a certain zip code. They may have even selected their targets with greater granularity, including indicators of potential ability to pay for their expensive products. Most people are amazed when they find out how many details of their personal life and background can be extracted from publicly available records.

[Doug Miller]

[e-mail] wrote in news: [e-mail]:

[...]

Contact the Direct Mail Marketing Association (dmachoice.org) and opt out. In about two months, you'll notice a vast reduction in the amount of junk mail you receive from all sources.