Used to get 3 or 4 per week. Then it seemed to have dried up. Well now they are back at it again. So I am reviving my tactic. If they have included a postage paid envelope I tear everything up (including the envelope it came in) and remove the area with my name on it and send the trash back to them. Fill up your own damn landfill, not mine.

OMG, that’s a fantastic idea. I’m now inspired!!!

Needless to say, I’ll be following suit.

But I remember the days when they just sent you the card. You activated it by simply using it.

I live in the sticks, with a stand-alone mailbox. I've often wanted to build one with doors on the front and back, with the back door directly above a burn barrel.

You could push everything in the box straight out the back into the fire, and four days out of five I wouldn't be missing a thing.

These have a toll-free "opt-out" number. While they do ask you for personal information including your SS number, calling it will get you taken off their mailing lists. I did it myself a couple of years ago. It did take a couple of weeks (I think) for them to start drying up and eventually cease, but they did stop.

Some people are glad to get all the credit card offers – they live on credit card debt. Last Saturday I was waiting in line at my pharmacy. A guy went through half a dozen credit cards, trying to find one that worked – none did. I was glad when he finally left.

I have one, plus a Nordstrom card that I use only at that store to get the discounts.

I also return the prepaid envelopes empty. I wait until I have a big stack of them and just put them in the drop box when I make my next post office visit.

quote:

Originally posted by Krazeehorse:
If they have included a postage paid envelope I tear everything up (including the envelope it came in) and remove the area with my name on it and send the trash back to them.

I read an article maybe 10 years ago about someone who did that, only better. He'd send them a box of rocks or bricks with the card on top! Apparently they are then required to pay the postage after it's delivered! GENIUS!!!

Just use packing tape to affix the pre-paid envelope to a concrete block.

I used to own a residential construction company. We were also members of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

About 20 years ago there was a certain member of Congress (I forgot who it was) That was single handedly holding up a piece of critical legislation that was adversely affecting thousands of small business. The NAHB leadership sent out a blast email urging all of its members to take a piece of 2x4 lumber cut it to the size of a business envelope and mail it to him urging passage of the legislation. The story I heard was that a tractor trailer rolled up to Capitol Hill and the staff of the addresses congressman had to off load it piece by piece....the legislation went through!

If I get a credit card solicitation that is especially awful, such as one that offers me a card with a 29% interest rate, I do take the time to load up the business reply envelope with junk so that it costs them extra postage. My name, address etc is not included in the material I return. I wish everyone would do that.

Nice twist. Normally I just send back an empty envelop. Figure they'll wonder if I just forgot to include the document. I might include the paper scraps the next time I send one back.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
These have a toll-free "opt-out" number. While they do ask you for personal information including your SS number, calling it will get you taken off their mailing lists. I did it myself a couple of years ago. It did take a couple of weeks (I think) for them to start drying up and eventually cease, but they did stop.

umm... did they turn around and sell your contact information to someone else? Intentionally misspell you name the next time you do this. See how long before you start getting mail with that spelling.

quote:

I do take the time to load up the business reply envelope with junk so that it costs them extra postage.

Totally agree. The post office needs all the help it can get these days.

This is now in the weekly mail plan.

After you tear your name off, just put that bunch in a pile. Then, when you get a post-paid envelope, put other stuff inside -- let them have the fun and excitement of getting stuff to read on the john. It's not fun if they get their own stuff back.

Myrtle wanted to deal with Capital One ,
She got sick and disabled, had to make half payments on her $640.00 monthly bill.

That went on for 8 years, after 8 years her bill was $36,000.00.

She got a lawyer involved , he wrote a couple of letters to Capital One.

Nine months later, they dismissed all of the late payment fee's .

Closed her account. Her credit was in the toilet, But !

Within a month she was getting credit card solicitations like crazy.

One time there were four on the same day.

The business reply envelope on the brick does not work, sad to say. The brick and the envelope end up in the trash. I think Abbie Hoffman originated the idea.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
The business reply envelope on the brick does not work, sad to say. The brick and the envelope end up in the trash. I think Abbie Hoffman originated the idea.

You are correct. That doesn't work. But if you fill up the envelope with scrap paper and seal it, it will be delivered and they will be charged. As long as the envelope is sealed and it's not stuffed to the extent that appears to be threatening, it will be delivered.

quote:

Originally posted by SR:

umm... did they turn around and sell your contact information to someone else? Intentionally misspell you name the next time you do this. See how long before you start getting mail with that spelling.

I have received no - zero, zip, nada, goose egg - credit solicitations since I did this.

Addendum: I just remembered one. It was from National Debt Relief (you may have seen/heard their advertisements). I wrote on the envelope: "Refused/unwanted, return to sender" and dropped it in the mailbox. I don't know if that actually did anything, but I didn't get any more.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: egregore,