We've been getting a lot of junk mail. Much of it leaves me feeling pretty helpless about how to stop it--flyers, Valpack coupons, etc. (I'm sure there's a way, I just don't know it or haven't followed through with it yet). There is another variety of junk mail that I do know what to do about, and it's very easy--I say we fight junk mail with junk mail.
We all know that sending bulk mail gets cheaper and cheaper for analog spammers (aka unsolicited bulk mailers), while the cost for 1st class postage keeps rising. Luckily, some of the worst offenders--like credit card companies--include postage paid business reply envelopes. These envelopes cost them nothing if they are not mailed back, but if they are dropped in the mail, they have to pay a fee.
There are a number of places online (like this one) claiming that the bulk mailers have special deals with the USPS and pay only pennies for each returned envelope. I decided to do a little investigation of my own. I emailed the post office to ask them directly:
I have a question: I get a lot of junk mail from a wide variety of places, and many of them contain postage-paid return envelopes. I like to pack the junk mail back into their envelope with a note asking to be removed from their mailing list, and then mail it back to them in the hopes that they will have to pay substantially for it. (Perhaps in the process--if many people join in this effort--junk mailings will go down, paper will be saved, post office revenues will go up, and postage rates will not need to be increased as quickly).
My question is this: what is a standard rate that a large company (for example a large credit card company) would pay for their bulk mail return envelopes? What if it was packed very full of paper (is there a scale of weights and costs that I can see for something like this?) I don't want to know anything about a particular organization, just a general idea of how much each returned envelope would cost.
If you can help me in any way to get this information, I would appreciate it.
And they replied back, very courteously:
Thank you, Laryn, for visiting our web site in regards to sending the junk mail back. For further assistance, please contact your local Mailing Requirements office at xxx-xxx-xxxx. That office handles the various types of business accounts and may be able to provide you with more information on how they work.
I called the local number, who gave me another local number, who answered my question. It is possible that bulk mailers who send in such high a quantity can get a $0.02 mail-back fee for their business reply envelopes, but this fee is added on top of the regular first class postage rate.
So while it may cost them a penny to mail you the junk, it'll cost them at least 39? to receive it back. Multiply that by a lot of people, and it could start to add up. On top of this, I wanted to double check that adding additional papers into the envelope would increase the amount that they pay, since I've heard conflicting versions of that, too. It will. My advice: take all that other junk mail you don't know what to do with and stuff it in the business reply envelopes, along with a short note asking that they remove you from their mailing lists. I've printed up little strips of paper that I stick in the envelope, saying:
Please remove this name and address from your mailing lists and do not provide it to any other entity--either this person no longer lives here or (s)he no longer wishes to receive this type of mail.
I can't claim credit for thinking of this idea, and I can't remember where I first heard of it, but I think it's a great concept. I used to feel bad about sending back return envelopes from environmental groups (who ironically are pretty bad sometimes about sending bulk mail) or relief and development organizations and asking to be removed from their lists, but I figure that over time it'll probably save them money. (If it's an organization that you like and that is doing good work, you could just put a stamp on them and enclose your request to be removed from the mailing list.)
Just my 2¢ (plus the cost of first class postage).
Other junk mail resources
New American Dream's "Declare Your Independence From Junk Mail" campaign, which helps generate letters to send that will get you off of mailing lists, petitions for Congress to create a "Do Not Junk" list (like the "Do Not Call" registry), and gives other tips.
Well, it was expected. How is sending junkmail to other people who do it going to stop it? If you send junkmail, you are just like them and make others suffer as well!
I have been doing this for probably about 10 years, and have always enjoyed it (I have 6 in my car that I need to mail on the way home!) I enjoy sending as much as my junk mail back to other junk mailers, and recycle the rest. Takes a few more minutes, but you have to clear/shred your names from this crap anyway, so why not have some fun? I used to send sand, but that may be seen as a threat in this post anthrax world, so I've resorted to taping pennies in when I have time. Printing up SPAM emails is another fun thing to do, maybe I'll focus on that more. Really I was looking for info via Google today as I try to decide if I want to build a website about this, and other ways, to stop junk/analog mail, as it's become so prevalent ... if you buy a house your info is just 'out there' for all sorts of list to gather.Thanksfak3r - http://fak3r.com
Is it really illegal? Why wouldn't the US Post Office have said as much when replying to the email in blog post? Don't make statements about the law unless you're willing to back it up with facts.
Well i got so fed up with junk mail that i just put moved on the mail box, (I am one of three in an apt. building) and got a P O BOX. and since the post office is right down the street, it's been a blessing for me.
What led to my actions is one, having a credit card, and then transferred to another that had a lower APR. Well you know these companies wash each others backs, so my info spread like a hot rumor in house full of women. Also i gave to a few charities so then i started receiving communication from i think every charity imaginable. Don't get me wrong, if i had the money it would be a different story so i just had to get out from under this barrage of mail.
I first heard of doing this from an Andy Rooney article years ago and decided it was so much fun I've kept doing it. I like to 'mix it up'. Maybe Visa would like a Discover or maybe a pizza....
I've been doing this for years. Started to try sending some spring steel (very hard metal) that would just fit in the envelope. This would wreck the automatic openers. Sand would be a nice touch. Both would be great! But more trouble than I want to go to.
Horrible? Illegal? I think not. Overloading the mail system is horrible. Clear cutting forests just for the paper to be wasted, and filling landfills with the stuff is immoral, in my opinion.
I get a nice warm feeling when I return the junk!
I am the worst about checking my mailbox, it has been so full in the past that the carrier has taken mail back to the post office. I got the best compliant the other day when the carrier was there and I stopped to get my mail. She asked what has happened to all my mail? She told me box isn't always slammed anymore. I told her I have a membership with MyJunkTree.com and and all that junk that used to fill my box has stopped. I stopped all the catalogs, CC offers, coupons, weekly mailers and all those misc ads. I feel like I hit one for the good guys, and they even planted a few trees for me.
We all know that sending bulk mail gets cheaper and cheaper for analog spammers (aka unsolicited bulk mailers), while the cost for 1st class postage keeps rising. Luckily, some of the worst offenders--like credit card companies--include postage paid business reply envelopes. These envelopes cost them nothing if they are not mailed back, but if they are dropped in the mail, they have to pay a fee.
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