Invoicing for unsolicited mail.

I'd love to join you - maybe we could start a class action!

Did anyone see Brassed of Britain on Thursday on BBC1? This week I have posted back 10 pieces of "junk" mail - either return to sender - or using the pre-paid envelope that came with the junk.

Si.

Sending back wont work

All returns are handled and keyed by third parties. They get low but regular commision and aslo get paid per received letter so what you are doing is actually doing nothing to upset anyone.

I wrote to a bank who were constantly sending me literature yet at the same time were taking me to court for non payment of a debt (very complex involving the ex)

I was so depressed at the time , I actually got found in contempt of court for having a verbal pop at there represenatatives.

This bank still sends junk to this day. So I book apointments to see the manager to discuss my finanaces and waste there time for 30 mins. Normally ona friday.

Last time the bank rep asked if I actually planned to take out a loan and I replied " well you aske dme to discuss the matter with you" and produced a leaflet.

Jon

Bitstring , from the wonderful person Si said

The Mailing Preference Service is the best bet, although their website was completely inundated after the TV show .. should be working again by now. Sending it back just wears out more postmen, and puts the cost of bank charges (or whatever) up for everyone.

What happened to the debt though? Did they make you pay ?

There are ways to reduce mail

but unfortunately it doesn't have the clout of the telephone preference service. I dont know if either of those companies would pay attention, but its got to be worth a try.

For some reason I dont mind junk mail, but find phone calls very obtrusive.

Neb

snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com (Dave) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com:

You're in luck, we already have law to protect you from unsolicited mail.

Write to them and ask them to remove your name form their database.

If they do not you can file a complaint with the MPS, who will, er, ask them not to send any more mail.

Seriously, the Mail Preference Service has stopped most junk mail. I only get about one item every 8 weeks, I was getting about seven a day.

snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com (Dave) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com:

Here's another way to stop junk mail:

Until I signed up with the mail preference service, I used to average 2 unwanted invitations to take out credit cards per week - a substantial proportion from MBNA. Now I don't get any. However there are apparently exceptions such as charities. See here for full details:

Likewise the telephone preference service. Tell unsolicited callers that you are registered and the chance is that they'll hang up pronto. No more "Hi, we're conducting a survey in your area. Don't worry, we're not trying to sell you anything...".

Brian

Thanks, I managed to register on-line.

Oops! Anybody notice I gave the link the the US one?! Robin T Cox is fortunately more competent than me. Sorry.

Brian

I don't really get much junk mail - as I am careful to always tick the box to say 'don't send me junk mail'.

What I object to is the letters I get from NatWest bank (who I have a dormant account with) asking me if I want loans, life insurance, credit cards, mortgages and god knows what else. These I have decided to send them all back to them using the pre-paid envelopes.

I used to get loads of Capital One credit card applications sent to me (although I already have a card with them!). On the third attempt of calling them and getting very shitty with them down the phone - they removed me.

I joined the Mail Preference Service a couple of years ago, along with the telephone preference service!

Si.

I didn't see the program but this is what i do for the little it is worth.

I think each town should get together and save their junk mail, then after about six months of saving (yes we would need a large storage space) each town should send it back on the same day. That would annoy a few people.

Reminds me of when I tried to register with tpsonline. Their site had been hacked and the URL brought up a page about Microsoft Windows NT Options Pack!

Brian

then they were running Windows NT Server, the NT Option Pack is the default page for an new install of IIS4.

What about putting the junk mail in one pile, the prepaid reply envelopes in another, and once a week or so filling the latter with the former, so that (eg) MBNA get sent a load of Lloyds TSB crap and pay for the privilege?

In article , Si writes

I've been doing that for *years*. Sometimes I'll use one company's envelope for another company's rubbish. Sometimes I'll re-use a scrap envelope and affix a 1p postage stamp, in the hope the recipient will have to pay the excess.

If the junk mail contains a pen, I'll smash it up (and recover any useful springs) before sending the bits back.

Use the MPS (as noted elsewhere in replies in this thread). The MPS does mostly work, although it can need a little while for registration to take effect.

If you regularly get junk-mail from a particular company, you can write to them to ask them to desist processing your personal details for the purposes of direct marketing. If they continue, you can complain to the Data Protection Registrar/Information Commissioner. If you have a relationship with said company (e.g. you have a credit card), the situation is a little different, but no more difficult.

Some companies (who should be applauded) provide Freepost addresses for requests to be removed from mailing lists (e.g. Norwich Union, Thompson/Portland Holidays)

Allan

I doubt they could be forced to pay unless you could show that they were fully aware of your intention to charge. However, their accounts department might be so inefficient that they pay anyway.

I know of a case where a prison inmate was sent a letter asking him to take out a loan! I wonder if he'd have got it had he applied, of if "inside" is one of the refusal triggers.