How to Easily Stop (nearly) All Junk Mail
It’s said that the average person receives one whole tree’s worth of unwanted junk mail each year. Although recycling machines can now recycle window envelopes (no need to separate), other types of mail are not easy to recycle: gold leaf and glitter to tell you that you’ve won an international lottery!
You can put signs on your door, but often they are ignored. Royal Mail has to legally deliver any unaddressed mail it receives. And of course there is ‘scam mail’, scaring older and vulnerable people into giving away their savings to junk mail con people, who talk of ‘lucky talismans etc.
Junk mail only has a pick-up rate of around 2%. So why does it continue? Because that rate actually rakes in millions for companies that send junk mail. So to them, it’s worth the effort.
Send Junk Mail Back to Senders
Citizens Advice Bureau says you can simply send junk mail back to the sender. Just write on the envelope ‘unsolicited mail, return to sender’ and post it back – you don’t have to pay postage.
If this does not work, it suggests sending a letter with your full name and address, and write:
Please stop processing my my personal data for direct marketing purposes in accordance with Article 21 of the General Data Protection Regulations.
State the date from when you wish this to happen, and Article 21 says they have to abide by this legally, within 1 month.
Stop Unaddressed Junk Mail from Royal Mail
To do this, you have to visit Royal Mail’s website. You have to go through lots of hoops (printing off the form – which means visiting a library if you don’t have a printer) to send off the form, then wait six weeks for it to take effect. But it’s worth doing.
Then after 2 years, you have to reapply. You could add a footnote on the form, asking Royal Mail to replace red rubber bands (that look like worms, and get eaten by ducks) with paper belly bands, this would also stop wildlife getting trapped in them.
Opt Out of the Open Electoral Register
By law, your details must be on the Electoral Register (but the only people who see these are the council and political parties, when campaigning).
The Open Register is allowed to be sold to companies. So when you register, always tick the box to remove your details off the Open Register, this is another effective way to remove junk mail. And also protect your privacy and personal safety.
Register with Marketing Preference Agencies
One effective method to reduce junk mail is opting out of various mailing lists. Services like Marketing Preference Service allow you to manage your mailing preferences. By registering, you can take back control of your mail.
Also register with:
- Telephone Preference Service (this stops sales calls, in the middle of having your supper).
- The Bereavement Preference Service and Baby Mailing Preference Service can stop junk mail at times of grief (trying to sell you baby goods, if you have lost a child).
How to Prevent Future Junk Mail
Stop Junk Mail is a good guide on stopping junk mail, and industry recommendations.
Obviously junk mail is sent with one objective: to make money. Usually your name is ‘found’ when you do things like enter lotteries or participate in surveys. Do none of the above, that’s a good place to start.
A great idea is to create a false middle initial. Then when you have to fill any new form, just make a note. For instance, you would write for each form filled in:
- Mr John A Smith
- Mr John B Smith
- Mr John C Smith
And so on. Then if you get bombarded by junk mail, you know who sold your name, and can ask them to stop.
Stopping Unwanted Mail from Charities
If you prefer to support small charities (rather than the ones that buy your name and bombard you with free pens), set up a private giving account (for person or business use) at Charities Aid Foundation.
Then you can donate to who you want and when you want. Just tick the box, to remain anonymous.
Fundraising Preference Service lets you opt out of charity marketing. Charities should be spending donations on doing good, not sending junk mail.
Olive was a kindly widowed poppy seller in Bristol. She liked to give a little of her pension to her favourite causes. She also suffered from depression.
But after she jumped off a bridge, it was found that she was giving away nearly all her income to big charities. Who had been selling her name to more charities, realising how generous she was.
The Campaign to Stop Scam Junk Mail
Think Jessica is campaign started, by the daughter of a women, who was bombarded with scam mail. When her mother was in hospital, she was even concerned about the post she was missing.
The campaign wants:
- Banks to place warning signs (to alert people about to remove their savings)
- Better Power of Attorney, to protect vulnerable relatives.
- A law that lets Posties (often the only ones aware of vulnerable people receiving tons of scam mail) to be able to alert the authorities.
