[net.consumers] junk mail - ways of getting even

fish@ihu1g.UUCP (Bob Fishell) (03/28/84)

I think that women used to send envelopes full of pepper to prominent
M.C.P.'s at some point in the women's movement.  I think the practice
dates back to Margaret Sanger, but I'm not sure.  Anyway, it seems
like a good way of disposing of those business reply envelopes, and 
the person opening it gets the idea you don't appreciate it.  I'm
not sure this is legal, though -- I've never done it myself.  I've
found that the best way for me to handle junk mail is just to toss
it in the laundry room wastebasket, so it never makes it into my 
apartment.
-- 

                               Bob Fishell
                               ihnp4!ihu1g!fish

wmartin@brl-vgr.ARPA (Will Martin ) (03/30/84)

A most dangerous practice, to dispose of your junk mail unopened in
a publicly-accessible wastebasket. Anyone who wishes to annoy you
or is otherwise hostile to you can merely take the items out of
that basket, remove the order forms and cards with your address
label upon them, and send them in (postage paid, at no cost to them).
Then you start getting all this "unsolicited" merchandise and
the like -- unsolicited by you personally, but the company has
your name on the form with no indication that it was not you who
sent it in. If you refuse to pay, your credit rating may be damaged.
You stand to lose much time, inconvenience, irritation and
annoyance, and maybe money, if you are careless enough to let
others get to such an easy means to harass you.

Basic principle for disposing of junk mail: DESTROY IT. At least
tear it in half, through the address label. Better to pull off
the address label entirely. Just because nobody is out to get you
right now doesn't mean they aren't lurking around the corner.
Make basic paranoia your unthinking default method of operation,
and it won't cost you anything, and may save you a lot!

Will (is that his real name?) Martin (sure it is...)

rob@ctvax.UUCP (04/01/84)

#R:ihu1g:-26900:ctvax:60900001:000:636
ctvax!rob    Apr  1 23:25:00 1984

Re dealing with junk mail:

1) Tear up all the stuff with your name or address on it.

2) Stuff the remaining stuff into the reply-paid envelope. You'll
   probably have to fold it, since the mailers are careful to ensure
   that only the right stuff fits the envelope. Mail it back to them.

Questions:

1) Can they trace you by those funny little bar codes on the envelopes?

2) Does this kind of action have any effect apart from further clogging
   the mail system?

Wasting my life away looking for important mail, I remain,

Rob Spray
uucp:    ... {decvax!cornell!|ucbvax!nbires!|{allegra|ihnp4}!convex!}ctvax!rob