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Personal Privacy: aka Junk Mail & Unsolicited Phone Calls

What's your feeling about receiving unsolicited phone calls and junk mail in your USPS box every day?

If you're like Da Guy, it ticks you off, so while the Net has many suggestions of what to do about it, here are some of the actions Da Guy has taken in his attempt to regain control over his life as others choose to intrude where they were not invited. It may take up to 6 months for some pieces to click into place, but the combination should last 2-5 years, at which time you get to do some of it again.

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Reduce Unsolicited Phone Calls & Junk Mail via the USPS

  • Stop most telemarketing calls by registering yourself on the National Do Not Call Registry. Be sure to put in all your phone numbers, including cell phones.
    • If you do get a call you don't want, before you hang up, be sure to say "please take me off your calling list and don't trade or sell any information about me ".
  • If you don't want unsolicited political marketing, call your voter registration office and make sure your registration does not have your phone number (or email address for that matter).
  • Consider being unlisted with your telephone company and have your name removed from the telephone and reverse directories. There is a fee for this unfortunately.
  • Reduce the majority of the junk mail coming through the USPS by sending a letter (you can do it online, but you pay five bucks for the privilege) to Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, PO Box 643, Carmel, NY 15012-0643. Include your complete name, address, zip code and a request to "activate the preference service". This will stop mail from all member organizations that you have not specifically ordered products from for up to 5 years.
    • Eliminate catalogs you no longer want by calling the company's 800 number and have the label ready.
    • Get rid of those weekly Val-Pak Coupons by filling out out the form ...but don't give them your email address.
  • Eliminate most credit card offers by registering on OptOutPrescreen. At present, this covers Equifax, Experian, Innovis, and Trans Union. In addition, send a letter indicating you want your name permanently removed from any direct mail or telemarketing use including lending and selling of such information, to the following:
    • Customer Service-American Express, 777 American Express Way, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33337
  • Stop your credit, banking, hotel and airline companies from using and selling your information for marketing purposes by filling out the opt-out information generally available when opening an account or by contacting the company and asking for their privacy or "opt out" policy.
    • If you look closely at the inserts you probably throw away every month with your bills, this is sent annually by many companies and in many cases is available in your online Internet accessible-account or profile information. Make a list of all the companies you deal with and ensure you have opted-out. Do the same whenever opening a new account with anyone!

Miscellaneous Tips

  • Whenever you donate money to a charity or fill out product registration cards and the like, write "Please do not sell or trade my name or contact information".
    • If one type of contact information is required and Da Guy isn't sure about the company, he typically provides his USPS mailing address and not phone number or email.
  • Entering contests unless you specifically know the source and how the information will be used, is a great source for companies to collect info about you and provides permission to do so at the same time. So, DON'T enter and fill out the info unless you are sure about that company's intentions.

References

  • PC Privacy -- Keeping your Personal Computing environment private

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