How to Stop Junk Mail From the Post Office
Junk mail, or unwanted solicitations in the mail, are sent by companies and organizations who purchase or create lists with hundreds or thousands of names and addresses on them. In fact, the name and address on the envelope don't even have to be correct for you to receive the mail; you may be receiving junk mail addressed to the person who used to live in your or who used to rent your P.O. box. Stopping junk mail completely may not be possible, but you can reduce it dramatically. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Write a letter to the Mail Preference service and ask it to activate the "mail preference service" for your name, address and zip code. Send the letter to the Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, PO Box 643, Carmel, NY 15012-0643.
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Fill out a U.S. Post Office change of address card for anyone who used to live at your address that no longer does. If you don't know the forwarding address, just write "Moved, No Forwarding Address." You can sign your own name and write that the form was filled out by "current resident of home and agent for above." Give it to your carrier or to the teller at the post office.
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Write "please do not rent, sell or trade my name or address" on any warranty card, subscription card, mailing list or any other form you write your personal information on. Even hospitals will send you junk mail if you don't tell them not to.
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Call the company that sent you the mail as soon as you receive a solicitation. Find its toll-free number and say, "please don't rent, sell or trade my name address." Legally, the company has to remove your name from its list.
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Write "refused, returned to sender" on any unopened envelope with "return service requested," "forwarding service requested," "address service requested," or "change service requested."
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References
Resources
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