I know, I know. Too many times over the years I've tried to help stop floods of junk mail, both by email and snail mail but, unfortunately, my researched methods don't always do the trick. (Can anything?) Lately, though, I've noticed a few new ideas to help contain the massive overflow - 80 billion pieces every year through the postal service and a vast unknown of spam emails. So let's not give up the fight and try the following:
Ellen Phillips photo for ConsumerWatch column that runs every Sunday - Please use this photo from now onRegular Mail
* Don't automatically give your zip code when paying for a store purchase. Retailers could find your street address and you may end up on a solicitation list. These lists are rented or sold to other companies. To help avoid these conspiracies, sign up for optoutprescreen.com, dmachoice.org and catalogchoice.org. All free services, they can keep consumers off many affiliated lists, especially when used in conjunction with each other. Remember, though, just like phone calls, if you've already purchased from a retailer or donated to a charity or a political party, you'll need to contact the vendor directly in order to remove your name.
* File a temporary change-of-address if you move. Most of us never even think of any revision other than a permanent one. In fact, I never knew that the Postal Service - when given the COA - also alerts companies which, of course, keep the junk coming to your new home. A much better idea is to fill out two back-to-back temporary COA forms. Temporary status requests the post office to forward mail but it doesn't tell companies you've moved.
* PaperKarma is a great phone app that I mentioned in a recent column. Once it's installed, take a photo of each piece of junk mail that arrives at your home or any other address, and the app will contact the sender to remove you from its distribution lists. (This is the best invention since ice cream!)
* Create a "shopping" account for spam or unwanted email only. This is the source that contains online shopping activities, newsletters and so forth. Don't use this account frequently, however, as companies have ways to know when we open their mail; the more activity on your part, the more targeted you become.
* The site Unroll.Me streamlines email by organizing newsletters and promotions into one daily email into our AOL, Gmail, iCloud, Outlook and Yahoo account(s). The service even unsubscribes us from spam and additional unwanted notices.
Contact Ellen Phillips at consumerwatch@timesfreepress.com.