Junk Mail and Phone Calls

[alohacandy]

I have an elderly patient that receives TONS of junk mail solicitations (not email...regular mail) and phone call solicitations. Does anyone know how I can help her get on a Do Not Solicit list?
Thanks!!!
Mary

[AbsolutChaos]

Re: Junk Mail and Phone Calls

If she's not on the "do not call" registry, here's the link to that:
https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx
That should hopefully at least alleviate some of the phone calls.


This link provides info on how to prevent some of that junk mail:
http://www.creditinfocenter.com/card...ellLists.shtml


Good luck!

[1stwahine]

Re: Junk Mail and Phone Calls

Whenever I recieve phone call solicitations, I simply say, "My mother is 81 years old - she's sinile. I have mental illness." They hang up.

...das the truth.

Auntie Lynn

[alohacandy]

Re: Junk Mail and Phone Calls

Thanks AbsolutChaos....I'll look into those for her. I noticed that the first link doesn't really address solicitations from charities. This poor woman has tons of solicitations from so called charities.

Lynn....LOL....those are darn good responses to the phone soliciters! :-)

[Glen Miyashiro]

Re: Junk Mail and Phone Calls

And if you still get phone calls, then put the callers through this anti-telemarketing counterscript.

[AbsolutChaos]

Re: Junk Mail and Phone Calls

I noticed that the first link doesn't really address solicitations from charities. This poor woman has tons of solicitations from so called charities.

You may want to try this link.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/tmarkg/charity.htm

Right now the only phone calls I get which are driving me crazy are ones for the PREVIOUS tenant (that was over three years ago!!!) and a few from local charities. At this point, I don't have caller ID, so I just let the answering machine take messages, and if someone I actually want to talk to leaves a message, I'll call them back. Most of my good friends know I'm easier to reach via email anyway, so I encourage people I know to use that as much as possible rather than the phone (I've never liked phones for some reason).

These tactics save me from having to endure a lot of solicitation phone calls or from having to weed out the "good" calls from the "bad."

[Miulang]

Re: Junk Mail and Phone Calls

And just because you request that your phone number (landline and cell) be put on the do not call list, it doesn't mean that the following types of calls can't get through:

*calls from charitable organizations
*calls from businesses that you have a relationship with (cross marketing)
*companies doing surveys

About the only thing you're protected from (and you do have to reregister every few years) are cold calls from companies trying to sell you something.

For junk mail, contact the Direct Mail Association (DMA) which also has a list.

Miulang

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Junk Mail and Phone Calls

This thread made me think about it, but ever since I registered with do-not-call, I haven't received any "mainland" telemarketing calls. Good. I only get the occasional one from Big Brothers Big Sisters for donations. That I don't mind.

For junk mail, there is a way to refuse them and have USPS return them to the senders. The senders have to pay the return postage. More money out of their pocket. I know people who've done this and the senders will stop. I think it's a matter of just writing "mail refused" on the envelope and putting it back in the mailbox, but I'd call USPS to get the real scoop.

[alohacandy]

Re: Junk Mail and Phone Calls

I like the idea of just putting "Mail Refused"....I know my hubby used to mail back torn up "junk mail" to the sender in their postage paid envelopes but nowadays a lot of them aren't even postage paid.
I will see my patient again this week and help her start tackling the junk mail issue.
Thanks so much to everyone for your responses!!

[mel]

Re: Junk Mail and Phone Calls

(I've never liked phones for some reason).

I'm with you on this. I am not too crazy about talking socially over the phone and generally I don't get too many phone calls to begin with. I don't own a cell phone, never owned one before and don't plan to own one in the future. I only keep a landline to my residence because that is what I get my net connection from... DSL... the landline is an extra expense but needed sometimes to make that occasional call.

About a year ago I disconnected my answering machine because I got telemarketers who would leave me their solicitations on my tape. I likened that to being spammed by audio email. Yuck! Even the non profits did this as well as the few commercial firms that use computers to do the telemarketing.

And I'm on the national do not call list too.

I'm quite hostile to telemarketers that call me... especially if I am watching one of my favorite TV shows or a movie.

Next to email spammers, telemarketers should be lined up and shot (if that were legal).

Another bad thing is junk faxes. I disabled my machine from receiving incoming faxes. I only activate that when I know someone wants to fax something to me. Frankly, I think faxes are just a waste of paper... especially cover sheets!

I liked the tips on how to get rid of some of that junk mail. I have occasionally sent notes back in the postage paid reply envelopes to not have so and so firm send me anymore junk. After a few times I think they get the message since they have to pay for the postage.