Monday 10 October 2016

How To Get Rid Of Junk Mail

Is your mailbox running over, full of stuff you don't want? Junk mail wastes tremendous amounts of paper, piles up on your table, wastes your time, and competes for your attention. Fortunately, with a small investment of time, you can stop the flow at its source. Soon, your inbox will be free of clutter, allowing you more efficient browsing.

Stopping Unwanted Mailers

1. Write to the mail preference service (US) or the Mailing preference service (UK). These do-not-mail lists are maintained by the major marketing associations that distribute the major mailing lists, but they do work. The US mail preference service will charge you one dollar ($1) to add your name to their opt-out list by mail, but it is free using their online form. In the UK, it's free of charge.

2. Avoid placing your address on surveys, raffles, and product warranty cards. If you do write your address or phone number, write alongside it something like, "Please do not sell or distribute my information, nor add to mailing lists." It's generally not necessary to send in warranty cards or "register" a warranty for the warranty to be valid, regardless of what the card may imply.

3. Ask individual senders to remove you from their lists. Some items are sent in such bulk that they go to every resident on a postal route. These are addressed to "Resident," "Our Friends At," or some variant. Your postal carrier cannot, by law, determine what you consider "junk mail". All "resident" mail must be delivered as addressed. You must contact individual mailers to have your address removed from their database. Look around on mailers for return addresses and phone numbers. Here are quick links to some common ones.

4. Request your name be eliminated from the county tax database. Many companies target specific areas based on neighborhood subdivisions or home values. By making your information confidential in the county and state databases you may eliminate quite a bit of junk mail.

5. Remind companies you do business with of your mailing and privacy preferences. If you do business with a company via mail services, it will put you on its contact list. So the first time you make a transaction (such as placing an order) with that company, ask to be put on its "in-house suppress" or "do not promote" lists. Tell the company not to "rent" or share your name with other companies.

Stop Mail Addressed To Someone Else

1. Keep your address current. If you've moved recently, the mail can take a while to catch up with you. Make sure you call the USPS or fill out the online form to keep your address current.
Often, changing your address will reenlist you in various solicitation mailers you've previously opted out of. You may have to re-do them if you start getting mailers you've canceled.
You should not receive mail if the mail or the accompanying card is not addressed to you, but some bulk sales circulars may continue arriving on "auto-pilot" after you have canceled them. Remind your letter carrier politely that this matter is not addressed to you.
2. Return to sender. If you are getting first class mail for a former resident, you can write Return to Sender/Not at this address on the envelope and drop that envelope back in the mailbox.

3. Report deaths to the credit reporting agencies to avoid possible identity theft.Mail a copy of the death certificate to each of them:
Equifax P.O. Box 105069 Atlanta, GA 30348
Experian P.O. Box 9530 Allen, TX 75013
TransUnion P.O. Box 6790 Fullerton, CA 92634
4. Report deaths to the Direct Marketing Association (in the U.S.). This will halt the flow of most junk mail to someone who is deceased. Use the Deceased Do Not Contact Form. Follow the instructions through the entire process, and be certain to verify the registration after you receive the email.


USPS hold mail

Spam mail

USPS address change

USPS tracking number

USPS office hours

Best 3 Ways To Contact USPS

Most questions and concerns you could have for the USPS can be addressed by contacting USPS domestic customer service by phone or online. For some issues, though, there may also be other, more direct ways to contact the appropriate parties.



1. Call domestic customer service. For general information and inquiries, you can call the domestic USPS customer service line at: 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777)[1]
Note that the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) or Teletypewriter (TTY) relay number is: 1-800-877-8339
You will be directed through a series of prompts. When asked, indicate that you need to be connected to the USPS customer support number: 1-800-275-8777

2. Send an e-mail. If you need to contact customer service during off hours, send an e-mail and include as much detail as possible in your message.
E-mail the USPS using the online form, found here:https://prd2faq.usps.com/faq/iq/usps/request.do?forward=emailUs
On the form, you will be asked to select your inquiry type (information, problem, suggestion, compliment). Depending on your answer, you will also need to navigate through the topic categories and subcategories before you can type in your message.
You should get a reply back within 24 hours as long as the following day is a business day.
(i) Call for tracking information. If you need to find out information concerning domestic or international USPS tracking, you should call: 1-800-222-1811
The hours of operation for this line are 8:00 AM through 8:30 PM EST on Monday through Friday and 8:00 AM through 6:00 PM EST on Saturdays.
(ii) Order stamps. To place a bulk order for stamps or to inquire about a previous stamp order, call: 1-800-Stamp24 (1-800-782-6724)
Place your call during the hours of operation on a non-holiday. Hours of operation are 8:00 AM through 8:30 PM EST on Monday through Friday and 8:00 AM through 6:00 PM EST on Saturdays
(iii) Get technical support. If you need technical help for something concerning the USPS website, you can call: 1-800-344-7779
As with other aspects of customer support, the hours of operation for this line are 8:00 AM through 8:30 PM EST on Monday through Friday and 8:00 AM through 6:00 PM EST on Saturdays
(iv) Ask for free shipping supplies. If you need to request free shipping supplies, you should call the USPS at: 1-800-610-8734
The customer service hours of this line vary from most other lines. Call from 7:00 AM through 11:00 PM EST on Monday through Friday and 7:00 AM through 6:00 PM EST on Saturdays
Filling Complaints

1. File a general online complaint. You will need to use the online customer service contact form, found at: http://faq.usps.com/adaptivedesktop/faq.jsp?ef=USPSFAQ&dest=EmailUs
From the "Inquiry Type" drop down menu, select "Complaint."
Choose the basic category type for your complaint: receiving mail, sending mail, buying, business, or customer service.
Navigate through the remaining subcategories as they pop up. When all subcategories have been selected, press the "Continue" button to be led to the correct complaint form.
You should be able to type your complaint in the "Additional Information" box on the next page. When done, click the "Continue" button and submit your complaint.
2. Write to the Postal Service's Consumer Advocate. Send a letter describing your complaint in detail to the USPS consumer advocates mailing address.
The correct mailing address is:[3]
United States Postal Service
Office of the Consumer Advocate
475 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Room 4012
Washington DC 20260-2200
3. Call in a general complain. You can make a general complaint using the standard customer service phone number: 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777)
Note that the TTY number is: 1-800-877-8339
Customer service hours of operation are 8:00 AM through 8:30 PM EST on Monday through Friday and 8:00 AM through 6:30 PM on Saturday. The office is closed on Sundays and holidays
4. Speak with a local postmaster. If you have a general complaint regarding mail service to your home or business, go to your local post office and ask to speak to the station manager or postmaster.
If you do not know where your local post office is, you can find out by looking it up in the front of your local phone directory or by using the online "Find Locations" tool on the USPS website.
That tool can be found at the following 

USPS hold mail

Spam mail

USPS address change

USPS tracking number


USPS office hours