How to stop an onslaught of junk mail after selling annuity
August 27, 2015 3:05 PM Subscribe
When I was in a pinch a couple of years ago I sold an annuity from a settlement. It worked out just fine, however, I guess I was put on some list that I had done this because after it was final I started receiving TONS and TONS of junk mail soliciting me to sell other annuities, etc.
Every day in my mail inbox (we're not talking email) I receive fake checks with my name on it, SELL NOW mail pieces, etc. I've lived in my home for years, so my address is pretty fixed. Anyways, this is still happening 2 years later and I am frankly sick of it.
1) If there is some master list of people that have sold their annuities, how do I get off of this list? I have asked the company I sold it to for help with this but that has been fruitless.
2) Is there another way I can stop all of this junk mail? I'm talking 4-5 pieces a day.
Every day in my mail inbox (we're not talking email) I receive fake checks with my name on it, SELL NOW mail pieces, etc. I've lived in my home for years, so my address is pretty fixed. Anyways, this is still happening 2 years later and I am frankly sick of it.
1) If there is some master list of people that have sold their annuities, how do I get off of this list? I have asked the company I sold it to for help with this but that has been fruitless.
2) Is there another way I can stop all of this junk mail? I'm talking 4-5 pieces a day.
A few years ago I went on a long term mission to cut off all junk mail. It takes work and dedication.
You basically need to "opt out" in a bunch of places.
Ok, here goes.
Sign up to opt out at these places.
Direct Marketing Assoc To opt out of unsolicited junk mail.
Equifax opt out for Credit and Insurance come-ons.
Direct Mail to opt out of junk mail.
Catalog Choice Sign up here and easily opt out of unwanted catalogs that show up.
Next, call customer service for your insurance company, credit cards, and bank. Ask them each specifically to opt you out of mail, phone and email solicitations. You can also opt out of courtesy checks from the credit cards. At the end of the conversation, politely ask "Is there anything else I can opt out of?"
If you have a business relationship with the company, you will need to call, email or write the company and specifically ask them to remove you.
For about a year, I would pile all the junk mail and every Friday morning I called each company and asked them to remove me from their list. Be polite, be persistent.
Do you hate those store flyers and coupons that clog the mailbox each week? There is a way to opt out of those too. Look inside, it'll usually be in fine print someplace. It was an 800 number, iirc.
When you do business with a new company, always specifically state you do not want to be on any mailing lists and request they do not sell my information.
When you receive the "privacy" or "marketing" choices letter or email from a company, don't ignore them! Follow the directions to make sure your wishes are known.
I noticed that charitable organizations always sell my name and or send me mail though I've specifically requested they don't so I only give anonymously these days.
If a company persists, I cross off my address and the bar code. I then write "Refused, return to sender" or I lie. "Not at this address, return to sender. And I also print "Remove from list" somewhere on the envelope. They usually finally get the idea.
It took about a year or 1.5 years, but I'm at the point where I only get about 1 piece of random junk per month.
posted by crayon at 3:33 PM on August 27, 2015 [25 favorites]
You basically need to "opt out" in a bunch of places.
Ok, here goes.
Sign up to opt out at these places.
Direct Marketing Assoc To opt out of unsolicited junk mail.
Equifax opt out for Credit and Insurance come-ons.
Direct Mail to opt out of junk mail.
Catalog Choice Sign up here and easily opt out of unwanted catalogs that show up.
Next, call customer service for your insurance company, credit cards, and bank. Ask them each specifically to opt you out of mail, phone and email solicitations. You can also opt out of courtesy checks from the credit cards. At the end of the conversation, politely ask "Is there anything else I can opt out of?"
If you have a business relationship with the company, you will need to call, email or write the company and specifically ask them to remove you.
For about a year, I would pile all the junk mail and every Friday morning I called each company and asked them to remove me from their list. Be polite, be persistent.
Do you hate those store flyers and coupons that clog the mailbox each week? There is a way to opt out of those too. Look inside, it'll usually be in fine print someplace. It was an 800 number, iirc.
When you do business with a new company, always specifically state you do not want to be on any mailing lists and request they do not sell my information.
When you receive the "privacy" or "marketing" choices letter or email from a company, don't ignore them! Follow the directions to make sure your wishes are known.
I noticed that charitable organizations always sell my name and or send me mail though I've specifically requested they don't so I only give anonymously these days.
If a company persists, I cross off my address and the bar code. I then write "Refused, return to sender" or I lie. "Not at this address, return to sender. And I also print "Remove from list" somewhere on the envelope. They usually finally get the idea.
It took about a year or 1.5 years, but I'm at the point where I only get about 1 piece of random junk per month.
posted by crayon at 3:33 PM on August 27, 2015 [25 favorites]
This is why we have paper recycling. Don't worry about it.
posted by w0mbat at 6:48 PM on August 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by w0mbat at 6:48 PM on August 27, 2015 [1 favorite]
I've had luck with PaperKarma for stopping catalogs and miscellaneous crap. It's a free download for iPhone and android and worth a go.
posted by firstdrop at 10:48 AM on August 28, 2015
posted by firstdrop at 10:48 AM on August 28, 2015
I was about to comment but crayon already laid out all the steps I did to get my deceased dad off all of the mailing lists he was on. It took a year, but we went from getting 10-15 pieces of unsolicited junk mail a day to maybe 4-5 a month.
posted by bedhead at 12:08 PM on August 28, 2015
posted by bedhead at 12:08 PM on August 28, 2015
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posted by adamrice at 3:30 PM on August 27, 2015