Also, you can't open it and then refuse it.

You know what your problem is? You didn't pay extra to be placed on the "premium" opt-out list...

Companies are supposed to maintain an opt-out list so things like that don't happen.

Seemed pretty effective. I'd highly recommend it.

They probably have a customer database and a subscription database that gets synced up periodically. So they remove you from the subscription database, but when the two sync up, you get added back in.

Pure speculation on my part.

Recycling does not save anything! (Not even trees!)

On any addressed junk mail, I remove all trace of my name and send it back "postage paid", the mail equivalent of a collect call.

Here's another way to do it, and perfectly legal, too:

[officeofstrategicinfluence.com]

@dewsipper:

Actually, Bulk Rate isn't sent back to senders, it's put into the trash/recycle bins at the post office.

... wow do I stink at posting...

Anyway, I would write "REFUSED! RETURN TO SENDER" on each and every one of them and stick them back in the mail. From what the mailman told me, it costs the companies full postage for the return - not bulk rate. You will be amazed at how quickly you are removed from those horrible lists.

I had issues with recieving too much junk mail - I'd get seven or eight catalogs a day. I got a sharpie and wrote "REFUSED! RETURN TO SENDER"

Oh, and don't capitalize "spam". When it's all caps it's the food product from Hormel (they have a registered trademark). They don't take too kindly to people infringing on that. It's more appropriate to use the lowercase spelling when referring to junk mail.

I get an ad for crappy Charter Cable in the mail EVERYDAY. I kid you not. I called them to tell me to please stop. The asshat CSR I spoke to gave me a 1-800 number to call to "opt out" of the ads. It was a porn number. Swear to God.

They're just not really in control anymore. Instead of one mailing list, they probably have thousands (or more) and untold number of third party vendors on top of that.

Still, they should have a privacy czar to take care of such things, no?

Agreed on that!

Nice, I didnt know about the USPS form 1500. I ordered lube online once, and ever since then I keep getting al kinds of porn catalogs, and pill order forms. Thaks Ben!

No one can beat Crate & Barrel though.

Hmm ... does the USPS have a form to opt in for pornographic mailings?

Earth day?

We still have that?

I had this EXACT same battle with those turds. Word for word that is my experience. Except they would send us 5 copies of the same f'ing catalogue.

We moved and the catalogues didn't follow, but I am so curious to see what happens here. Dell needs to stop this hugely wasteful practice.