5 ms·

I've had luck with the Direct Marketing Association list removal service. I signed up years ago and it works pretty well for most credit card offers and such.

I've had luck with the Direct Marketing Association list removal service. I signed up years ago and it works pretty well for most credit card offers and such. It cost money though. Not a lot. I think they've rebranded since I signed up, but this looks like this is it: https://www.dmachoice.org/static/faq.php https://www.dmachoice.org/static/faq.php Lamentably I found myself on some charities mail lists. They're not part of the Direct Marketing Association and will send you stuff unsolicited (gloves? seriously?) in an attempt to guilt you into joining..

dharmab 5y ago
You can refuse mail by writing "Refused" on it and returning it to the mail system. https://about.usps.com/what-we-are-doing/current-initiatives/delivery-growth-management/section-611.pdf https://about.usps.com/what-we-are-doing/current-initiatives...
- user3939382 5y ago
  Funny just yesterday I was going to put a letter in the mailbox on the street that I had marked this way when I saw the postman. I asked him if I should give it to him or put it in the box, he said, "It doesn't matter we just throw it away."
  - floatingatoll 5y ago
    If you don't put a stamp on it, it's probably going in the trash. If you put a stamp on it, they might return it.
derefr 5y ago
The really annoying thing is that the service here is only available to US residents, even though much of the bulk mail I receive as a Canadian comes from US businesses that only bother to check the DMA list (and not the Canadian equivalent) even for the operations of their Canadian subsidiaries. Given that it's a list for companies to obey, the service shouldn't care what country I live in, but only where the company sending the mail is headquartered, no?
- lstamour 5y ago
  I don't know if USPS offers this service, but for Canada Post, you can tape down a note to the inside of your mailbox where the postal worker will see it to indicate that you don't want to receive junk mail. https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/kb/receiving/mail-delivery/how-to-stop-receiving-advertising-mail https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/kb/rec... And yes, it really does work when combined with https://www.thecma.ca/resources/consumer-centre/get-less-print-mail https://www.thecma.ca/resources/consumer-centre/get-less-pri... - when you do both, including opting out from CMA with multiple first and last names listed to handle different variations or previous occupants, you end up getting very few pieces of junk mail over the years. I actually wonder if some of it is returned to sender at the Canada Post sorting facility.

dharmab 5y ago

You can refuse mail by writing "Refused" on it and returning it to the mail system. https://about.usps.com/what-we-are-doing/current-initiatives/delivery-growth-management/section-611.pdf https://about.usps.com/what-we-are-doing/current-initiatives...

user3939382 5y ago
Funny just yesterday I was going to put a letter in the mailbox on the street that I had marked this way when I saw the postman. I asked him if I should give it to him or put it in the box, he said, "It doesn't matter we just throw it away."
- floatingatoll 5y ago
  If you don't put a stamp on it, it's probably going in the trash. If you put a stamp on it, they might return it.

derefr 5y ago

The really annoying thing is that the service here is only available to US residents, even though much of the bulk mail I receive as a Canadian comes from US businesses that only bother to check the DMA list (and not the Canadian equivalent) even for the operations of their Canadian subsidiaries. Given that it's a list for companies to obey, the service shouldn't care what country I live in, but only where the company sending the mail is headquartered, no?

lstamour 5y ago
I don't know if USPS offers this service, but for Canada Post, you can tape down a note to the inside of your mailbox where the postal worker will see it to indicate that you don't want to receive junk mail. https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/kb/receiving/mail-delivery/how-to-stop-receiving-advertising-mail https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/support/kb/rec... And yes, it really does work when combined with https://www.thecma.ca/resources/consumer-centre/get-less-print-mail https://www.thecma.ca/resources/consumer-centre/get-less-pri... - when you do both, including opting out from CMA with multiple first and last names listed to handle different variations or previous occupants, you end up getting very few pieces of junk mail over the years. I actually wonder if some of it is returned to sender at the Canada Post sorting facility.