Month: January 2015

The Koch Brothers plan on spending $889 million supporting conservative campaigns in 2016. That buys a lot of Junk Mail

/ darthjenni / Leave a comment

This week a bunch of billionaires got together to decide who is going to buy the White House in 2016. (Update: A few of them wrote an opinion piece for the Dallas Morning News “We want Washington to do what it hasn’t done for years: work for, not against, the American people.” American people = Rich people) The Koch brothers are planing on spending $889 million in the next election cycle. That translates to millions of pieces of political junk mail papering America for the next 2 years.

I am still morning the loss of the Colbert Report and how he went after the way PACs handle money. But the Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore is lessening the sting. Last night’s episode was all about the Koch brothers and how money effects the democratic process.

The Washington Post has a great graphic of the web of money the Koch brothers control.

 

That chart reminds me of an old political cartoon about Standard Oil:

 

I have pulled out some of the more famous PACs they control:

Freedom Partners network Wiki page  Source Watch page Open Secrets page. You can’t opt-out of this group they just pass out the money. They don’t send the junk mail.

Americans for Prosperity

Americans for Prosperity,  Wiki page Source Watch page Open Secrets page Opt-out here also call (866) 730-0150

60 Plus Association, James L. Martin

60 Plus Association Wiki page, Source Watch page, Open Secrets page Opt-out here info@60plus.org also call (703)807-2070. Also contact Base Connect

Concerned Women for America

Concerned Women for America, Wiki page, Charity Navigator page 1 star. Opt-out here and call (202) 488-7000. Also contact InfoCision call them at (330)668-1400 and email them at infocis@infocision.com.

Rand Paul National Right to Work Committee

National Right to Work Committee. Wiki page, Source Watch page. Opt-out here and call (800) 325-7892

Tea Party Patriots

Tea Party Patriots, Wiki page, Source Watch page, opt-out here also call (404)593-0877

The Heritage Foundation

The Heritage Foundation Wiki page. Source Watch page. Open Secrets page. Opt out here: info@heritage.org and call the membership desk (800) 546-2843

Concerned Veterans for America, Source Watch page Opt-out here info@cv4a.org and call (703)-678-4664

The Libre Initiative,  Source Watch page Opt-out here info@thelibreinitiative.com and call (956) 519-4200

Generation Opportunity, Wiki page, Source Watch page, Opt-out here or email info@generationopportunity.org also call (703) 566-9800

My point for listing out all the places the Koch brothers spend their money is I think these groups will send out the most junk mail in the election cycle that is about to start. These PACs are doing just fine. They don’t need you, or your money. They will do just fine at getting the candidates they back put into office, and getting the laws they lobby for passed.

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Drowning in Junk Mail – This Week in Junk Mail, 7 pieces

/ darthjenni / 4 Comments

All 7 pieces

Oh come on! I was doing so well last week and then this happens. Don’t they know I have goals to attain.

The stack of DMA complaints I sent in have been processed. I know this, because people who ignored me a few weeks ago, have sent simpering mea culpa emails, saying I am off their mailing lists.

I also got linked from Reddit. In some ways they are the start of the internet. A lot of your favorite memes get their start there.

I have also noticed a lot of visitors from Facebook. Do you want me to make a Facebook page for this blog? It would only take a few minutes to set up. Let me know if that is something you guys would like. By popular demand the Drowning in Junk Mail Facebook page

Let’s meet this weeks 7 pieces of junk mail

All 7 pieces

Rand Paul National Right to Work Committee

Rand Paul and the National Right to Work Committee. Wiki page, Source Watch page. I have been dealing with them since April. Opt-out here and call (800) 325-7892

American Policy Center

American Policy Center, Source Watch page, Southern Poverty Law Center page for Tom DeWeese, The Daily Kos on Tom DeWeese. Opt-out here and call (540) 341-8911

NARAL Pro-Choice America

NARAL Pro-Choice America, Wiki page, Open Secrets page Opt-out here. They also use Public Interest Communications for telemarketing.

Concerned Women for America

Concerned Women for America, Wiki page, Charity Navigator page 1 star. Opt-out here and call (202) 488-7000. They also use InfoCision call them at (330)668-1400 and email them at infocis@infocision.com.

Consumer Reports Foundation Sweepstakes

Consumer Reports Foundation Sweepstakes. Wiki page Call (800) 666-5261 It makes me very sad to see a well respected organization like Consumer Reports sending out unsolicited sweepstakes.

Balboa Mailing Company

Balboa Mailing Company 501 W Broadway Ste 800 San Diego CA 92101. I emailed them at info@moneymailerprogram.com no reply. I called (619) 760-0570 and it was just a pre-recorded message about how great their program is. A form 1500 it is then.

The Progressive Generator (Pig) JAN-L Marketing Inc

The Progressive Generator JAN-L Marketing Inc
The Progressive Income Generator JAN-L Marketing Inc 9805 Tamarisk Louisville KY 40223 (502) 493-3210. They will also get a form 1500.

2 scams getting a from 1500
The 2 scams with their form 1500’s

 

Drowning in Junk Mail – How to Opt-out of Junk Mail Using a DMA Ethics Complaint

/ darthjenni / 3 Comments

This is a step of last resort. Before you do this you should have:

  • Signed up for DMA Choice and waited 6-8 weeks after the latest update to the do not mail list, if that didn’t work,
  • Directly e-mailed and called the junk mailer waited for a reply, and then wait 6-8 weeks for it to take affect.

You have done all of that. But the junk mail won’t stop. Now it is time to bring out the big guns. Contact the DMA. All of that other stuff you have tried to do, and them ignoring it is a big no, no in the eyes of the DMA. Them ignoring you makes every other direct marketing firm look bad and gives the whole industry a bad name.

DMA ethics guidelines:

There are a couple of ways to file a complaint with the Ethics Board at the DMA:

  • The best way is to fill out the online form, you can upload photos and emails.
  • Or you can go old school and mail in an example of the junk mail and a complaint letter to:
    Direct Marketing Association
    Corporate & Social Responsibility (CSR) Department
    1615 L St. NW Suite 1100
    Washington, DC 20036-5624

Lay out your case, tell them all the ways you have tried to contact the junk mailer. That snippy email reply you got from a junk mailer? Include that. How much mail you get from them, how often. Use key words like: how old your person is, Dementia, Alzheimer’s, that the junk mail is elder abuse. You get the idea.

DMA Ethics Case Complaint form for State Department Watch

My enclosed correspondence. If I knew they were going to forward this to State Department Watch I would have added more personal information about her.

DMA Ethics Case Complaint From

Name: Jennifer Bell
Address:
Phone:
Email: darthjenni at gmail.com
Date: September 26, 2014
Name of organization that you are bringing to our attention: State Department Watch
Organization Contact Information: sdw@statedepartmentwatch.org
Address on return envelope: PO Box 97343 Washington DC 20090-7343
Street address: 22648 Ave San Luis WOODLAND HILLS CA 91364,
Mailing address: PO Box 6102 WOODLAND HILLS CA 91365
Phone number: (818) 223-8080
Contact Person at the organization: Carl Olson

Please give a brief overview of your concerns and attach any relevant correspondence or other documents:

This complaint is being made on behalf of [name]. My family has power of attorney for her affairs.
I have contacted State Department Watch by email and by phone and received no response. I would like [name] to be taken off their mailing list.
I would also like her to be taken off the mailing list for their other projects:

Minuteman Project With Jim Gilchris
Tea Party Campaign With Dr. Jerome Corsi
The Tea Party
American Sovereignty Task Force

Letters from the DMA to Carl Olson and Jerome Corsi

This the response I got back from the DMA:

This letter is concerning a complaint that the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) has received regarding mail pieces being sent from your organization to the above-named consumer. In our ongoing effort to build trust and be responsive to the consumers of the direct marketing industry, we are forwarding this complaint to you for your response.

Ms. [name] [relationship], Jennifer Bell, has tried repeatedly to remove her elderly [relationship] name and address from your organization’s mailing lists but has not been successful in having her requests honored. Please see enclosed correspondence. Ms. Bell has asked us to contact your organization to request that you remove her [relationship] name and address from your in-house mailing. Prospect and share lists.

The Direct Marketing Association encourages all marketers to adhere to its self-regulatory Guidelines for Ethical Business Practice and its Commitment to Consumer Choice (CCC) program http://www.dmaresponsibility.org/ and Compliance Center http://thedma.org/compliance/. This includes promptly honoring individual opt-out requests, whether the individual is a customer or prospective customer. Our guidelines require that you keep a list of consumers who have asked not to hear from you and remove them from lists you mail to, share or rent.

We ask your cooperation in complying with the consumer’s request in a timely manner. We would appreciate it if you respond directly to Ms. Bell and provide us with a copy of your response.

Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.

Sincerely,

Lisa Brown Shosteck
DMA Corporate & Social Responsibility Department

I didn’t get a response from Carl Olson or Jerome Corsi but the junk mail did stop.

Since I now know that my letter will be seen by the group that won’t stop sending stuff, I revised it a bit:

This complaint is being made on behalf of my 87 year old [relationship][name].[name] has dementia and my family has power of attorney for her affairs. I would like [name] to be taken off their mailing list. I contacted [junk mailer] by email and phone and received no reply. I would like her to be taken off their master mailing list, the master mailing list of their direct marketing firm, and any lists they buy.

That is a good template to start with. I have added more depending on how bad it has been dealing with one group or another. If they are using multiple variations of your name include them all.

The only problem with the e-filing system is that it doesn’t send an auto-reply conformation email. Make sure you keep good notes on the complaints you have sent out.

Drowning in Junk Mail – This Week in Junk Mail, 2 pieces

/ darthjenni / 1 Comment

All 2 pieces

Why am I madder at getting 2 pieces than I was at getting 150?

These 2 pieces set me back to 0. The goal right now is to go a month with out any junk mail with her name on it. I have gone 8 days with no junk mail in the past. It is time to go to the next level.

The DMA Ethics office is mad at me for all the complaints I sent in. Whatever DMA. You made this mess, now you get to clean it up.

2 pieces of junk mail
Meet the 2 pieces of junk mail that came this week.

Prevention Magazine booklet ad
Prevention Magazine booklet ad

An ad for Prevention Magazine call (800) 813-8070. When I called I found out that she had a subscription in the past. The CSR had no knowledge of this little booklet and thinks it might be a part of a church fundraiser. She lives near a church and gave to them regularly. It would not surprise me if she bought a magazine subscription from the church during a fundraiser.

Help Hospitalized Veterans

Help Hospitalized Veterans hhv@hhv.org or call (951) 926-4500

This Help Hospitalized Veterans (HHV) Craft Kit was sent to you as an expression of care and appreciation for your service to our country by the person(s) whose name appears below. If you would like to drop them a note of thanks, please use the reverse side.

Help Hospitalized Veterans

Was Delivered at Grand Junction CO Community Based Arts & Crafts Center by an HHV Craft Care Specialist.

 

Thank you for the wooden wishing well kit.

There is not much I can do about this postcard. It is in a closet somewhere attached to a craft kit of some kind. I may be seeing these for years :/

Charity Navigator page. I have been doing this project so long that their rating has changed. The last time I checked on them, they were so bad that Charity Navigator had slapped a Donor Advisory on them. Charity Navigator has processed the newest IRS 990’s and bumped them up to 1 star.

HHV’s fundraising is done by American Target Advertising opt-out here. If that doesn’t work call (703) 392-7676 and American Mailing Lists Corporation (571) 292-5806 

AC360 report on Help Hospitalized Veterans.

 

Send Someone a Glitter Bomb

/ darthjenni / 2 Comments

glitter

Ship Your Enemies Glitter

This website is my new sprit animal.

For $9.99 AUS they will send a glitter bomb to whom ever you want. It will include a folded note. When they pull the note out of the envelope, the glitter will go everywhere.

Gawker articles about Ship Your Enemies Glitter:
Gizmodo article about Ship Your Enemies Glitter. And a day latter a Jezebel article on how Ship Your Enemies Glitter is to popular for the person who runs the site.

A Slate interview with the owner of the site Mathew Carpenter.

Shredded paper and glitter

I have been using weaponized glitter for months. The glitter I got cost about $6. I haven’t gone through a whole tube yet.

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine envelope

Almost every prepaid envelope I send out, has a few sprinkles of glitter in it. Nothing messes up your day more than glitter getting all over your cloths, your desk, and glitter getting ground into the carpet.

Rock on you crazy Aussie. I just hope you built a clean room (a glitter room?) for your glittery operations. That crap gets everywhere.

 

There are other competing glitter bomb sending websites:

RuinDays.com has this spring loaded tube for $22.99. They also have nastier offerings that involve things like poop.

Drowning in Junk Mail – This Week in Junk Mail 6 pieces

/ darthjenni / 2 Comments

All 6 pieces

I feel silly blogging about 6 pieces of junk mail. But the dramatic tension is growing. Can I make the junk mail stop for a month? I am on the edge of my mailbox with anticipation.

The good thing about only 6 pieces, is that I have more time to really talk about these last few junk mailers. This week doesn’t disappoint.

Citizens to Protect Senior's Security a project of Christian Seniors Association a project of Traditional Values Coalition

Citizens to Protect Senior’s Security a project of Christian Seniors Association a project of Traditional Values Coalition. That is a mouth full let’s break down the many layers of this group.
All of these groups are controled by one family: the Sheldons. The dad Rev. Louis P. Sheldon  and the daughter Andrea Lafferty run Traditional Values Coalition, Wiki page, Washington State page  Open Secrets page, Charity Navigator page (no rating) opt-out here (714)520-0300 (no pick up) tvcca@traditionalvalues.org. They want to be “the religious conservative alternative to the ultraliberal AARP.”

They also have the Christian Seniors Association  it is the lobbying arm of TVC. It is run by Andrea Lafferty and her husband Jim Lafferty (202)547-4400 (no pick up) Memberservices@christianseniorsassociation.org.

Citizens to Protect Senior’s Security is a division of Christian Seniors Association that focuses on Obama care, and anything else that scares seniors into giving money.

TVC is listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for it’s anti-gay views. Andrea Lafferty is proud of this and wears it like a badge of honor.

American Target Advertising is their fundraiser.

Faith & Freedom Coalition
Faith and Freedom Coalition, Wiki page, Open Secrets page, Charity Navigator page, opt-out here  info@ffcoalition.com I have already emailed them with no answer. They did pick the phone (770) 622-1501.

This one is her membership dues renewal notice for 2015. They are very proud of the different ways they harassed people last year:

  • 17.5 million voter education letters. That were tossed in the trash.
  • Made 10 million get-out-the-vote, harassing phone calls.
  • Distributed 20 million voter guides to 117,000 churches. That were put in that free flyers spot that every church has, then tossed out after the election.
  • Emailed and texted 4.6 voters. That went strait to their junk mail boxes.
  • Ran 16 million online video ads. That were blocked by Ad Blocker.
  • Deployed hundreds of volunteers who visited 500,00 homes, and had the door slammed in their faces.

American Target Advertising is their fundraiser.

U.S. English inc
U.S. English INC , Wiki page, GuideStar page, Open Secrets page, Source Watch page, Opt-out here (202) 833-0100 or (800) 787-8216 online contact form. The lady who picked up sounded very tired. It must be very stressful working for racists.

Environmental Defense Fund
Environmental Defense Fund, Wiki page, Charity Navigator page, opt out here or call (800) 684-3322. Their fundraisers are Integral Resources, Public Interest Communications, Strategic Fundraising Their mail should stop in February.

Kaplan Real Estate Education
Kaplan Real Estate Education, My gal has been a licensed realtor since at least 1971. I will probably have to wait for her realtor license to run out before the reality junk mail stops.

Platinum Acquisitions scam
Rob Leonard’s The Green Sheet scam
Platinum Acquisitions INC. 228 W Lincoln HWY #133 Schereville, IN 46375
They have bought and tested all the MLM and Pyramid scams for you. Just send them $20, and they will tell you how to make letters like this one to take peoples money. One of the phrases caught my eye: “Massive Profits In Sports & Concerts” that is the same pitch used by this little post card:

3 scams

Mysterious “Backwoods Millionaire” Finally reveals his $5,000,000,00 Secret go to this website: Something4Nothing.com  Massive Profits in Sports and Concerts they want $59 a month. This is a scam run by Jim “Jimbo” Walters of Platinum Acquisitions INC. 228 W US HWY 30 #133, Schererville, IN 46375. Opt-out here He must be the king of the “Get rick quick” scam these are other scams he runs:

Did Jim “Jimbo” Walters change his name to Rob Leonard? Inquiring minds want to know.

I found no other mention of Rob Leonard or The Green Sheet on the internet. I feel kinda special. I am the fist one to talk about this scam. If you get this scam in the mail, fill out a form 1500 and send it to New York. That is the only way to stop junk mail like this. It is a scam you will not make any money.

4 that will be getting a DMA Complaint
These 4 from last week are getting a DMA Complaint

1 form 1500
Rob Leonard’s The Green Sheet getting a form 1500

How To Be A More Effective Charitable Donor

/ darthjenni / 1 Comment

I am not endorsing one charity over another (unless they are on this list, or this list don’t give to those guys) But rather a philosophy of how to give.

  1. Pick a cause and stick to it. Pick something you are passionate about. Pick a cause that you will be involved in, not just with money but with time. Volunteering is just as important as money. Bill and Melinda Gates have almost unlimited funds but they still manage to have focus and a vision. You don’t have to have the world vision that they have, just pick one little thing that you care about.
  2. Have a charity budget. Your tax prep person can help you determine what that dollar amount should be. After you have given out your charity budget for the year tell everyone else NO! And stick to it.
  3. Only give to a few charities. Yes they all need money, yes they are all good causes. But you are only one person, and you can only do so much. Limit yourself to 5 charities (I think that is to many BTW) Your money and time will have more impact, if you give a lot of money to a few charities. Rather than a little money a lot of charities. Freakonomics talking about how less is more.
  4. Do not be swayed by the sob stories in the letters they send to you. Try to look past the big eyed crippled children, holding animals that are going to be put down if you don’t GIVE MONEY RIGHT NOW!!1!! Target Marking on how to make an emotional direct mail appeal. I have seen most of the examples over the past year.
  5. Don’t give over the phone. The telemarketer that was hired to call you, will get a percentage of your donation. You can give over the phone, but bump up your donation 10% to 50%, so that the amount you want the charity to receive, actually gets to them.
  6. Give local. This project has soured me on the large national charities. Give to a local cause close to your hart. Instead of giving to the National ASPCA give to your local shelter. The dollars will go farther if they don’t go through the bureaucracy of the national charity.
  7. Do your homework. Sign up for Charity Navigator and look at the IRS 990’s of the charity you give to. Go to the meetings, talk to the president of the organization. Are they well organized? Are they accomplishing the goals they set for themselves? Do they have a long term plan? People can have a great cause, and passion, but be terrible at executing the goals they are so passionate about.

 University of Pennsylvania’s Center for High Impact Philanthropy They are academics and talk a lot. I wish they had an info graphic or some other easy to share page that distills down their philosophy.

Thanks Guidestar! That is exactly what I needed.

Charity Navigator’s  Top 10 Best Practices of Savvy Donors

delawareonline.com Make more than a gift, make an impact

NorthWestern Mutual on giving more effectively

Mashable’s charity donation tips

The Wall Street Journal on How to Vet a Charity

Philamplify only rates big endowments or foundations. I hope they expand their offerings soon.

The Center for Effective Philanthropy (CEP) They help charities be more effective.

Caroline Fiennes wants your donation to have the most impact, and for charities to do the most with your money.

Time for a TED Talk!

I do not agree with anything Dan Pallotta talks about. The more administrative costs go up, it is no longer a charity doing good works. It is now a business that raises money. Which is what Mr. Pallotta runs.

Now to bring it all back to junk mail:
Who ever you choose to give to, tell them not to sell or share your information and to limit the amount of mailpieces and emails they send you a year. For many charities a major source of income is selling their mailing list. If you catch them doing it, that is a deal breaker. You and your money will go elsewhere. Good charities will listen to you. It costs them more to find a new donor, than to keep one.

This post was inspired by a comment from dbaplanb and her mother’s giant boxes of charity junk mail.

Drowning in Junk Mail – This Week in Junk Mail, Week After New Year’s Day 9 pieces

/ darthjenni / Leave a comment

All 9 pieces

Now that everyone is back at work, I can go back to hammering away at the junk mail. Only 9 pieces came this week but I will be emailing and calling people about the last 3 weeks of junk mail that came during the holidays. The bottom of this post has a lot going on.

Since a lot of new people are finding this blog I will restate my current technique and goal:

  1. Scan every mailpiece into PaperKarma
  2. Email and a phone call to every group
  3. Email and phone call to the direct marketing firm of each group (if I can find it)
  4. If no pick up on the phone call or no response to the email by the end of the week, fill out a complaint to the DMA
  5. If scam send in a form 1500

The ultimate goal is zero junk mail, but right now I am working toward 1 month with no junk mail with her name on it.

A note to all charities and political groups: If you do not answer your phone (no, I am not leaving a message) or send me a conformation that you got my email and that the name and address has been taken off your mailing list, you will get a DMA complaint. End of story. How hard is it to pick up the phone, or send a quick conformation email?

2 from United States Justice Foundation. Charity Navigator,  Source Watch page. Opt-out here or call (760) 788-6624. Also op-out through Response Unlimited. I contacted them months ago with no response, I will be sending a complaint to the DMA.

Defense of Family Center a project of United States Justice Foundation
Defense of Family Center a project of United States Justice Foundation
It has a different PO Box from regular USJF, PO Box 131637 Houston TX 77219

United States Justice Foundation
This one is a yearly renewal form. It cuts to the chase and asks for $300, $600, and $900. Don’t bother with the USJF poors, they only want high rollers.

Larry Klayman's Freedom Watch
Freedom Watch, run by Larry Klayman. Wiki page. Opt-out here leklayman@yahoo.com or call (352)274-9359 Also op-out through Response Unlimited. I sent a complaint to the DMA.

Abolish the Death Tax a special project of Americans for Constitutional Liberty
Abolish the Death Tax a special project of Americans for Constitutional Liberty AKA Conservative Caucus. Apparently the people who’s money they want are to stupid to know what the word caucus means, and think that this group is some how apart of Congress.  Wiki page, Charity Navigator page Open Secrets page. Opt-out here info@ConservativeUSA.org or call (540) 219-4536. I emailed them last month and got a reply from Charles Orndorff. He wants me to use the return envelope and send in my request. Sorry Charlie you are not worth a stamp. I sent a complaint to the DMA. No one should have to pay to get off a mailing list. Even it is only the cost of a stamp. They bought their mailing list from Conrad Direct, I emailed them in June and October listinfo@conraddirect.com. I gave them a call (201) 567-3200. They gave me the email of the person in the office to contact.

The Soros Project an urgent special project of the Media Research Center
The Soros Project an urgent special project of the Media Research Center, Wiki page, Source Watch page, opt out here. or call (800) 672-1423

Abraham Lincoln Foundation for Public Policy Research
Abraham Lincoln Foundation for Public Policy Research no website, Washington State page. Opt-out here novpne@verizon.net or call (703) 759-4599. I got no response from either. I sent a complaint to the DMA.

African Wildlife Foundation
African Wildlife Foundation, Wiki page, Charity Navigator page. Opt-out here africanwildlife@awf.org no response, call (888) 494-5354. Their fund raiser is Sanky inc

Guardian Entertainment Group
Guardian Entertainment Group PO Box 422 Old Bethpage NY 11804. Look who is going to step 2!

Free Marketing System!
Free Marketing System!
Free Marketing System! Nathan Dickerson PO Box 1328 Elizabethtown, KY 42702. Classic form 1500 mailpiece. Send them $10 for a package to learn how to send out post cards like this one.

3 weeks worth of junk mail
This is the last 3 weeks of junk mail. 31 pieces in all

Like I promised, I had a email sending, phone calling, form 1500 filling out, DMA complaint sending, envelope stuffing party.

To do list
On the left are the groups that have resisted my “charms” they are getting a complaint to the DMA. On the right is the stack that got phone calls. I didn’t get through to 4 of them. I don’t leave messages. It is a live person or nothing for me. What you don’t see are the 11 emails and the web mails I sent.

4 prepaid envelopes
4 pre-paid envelopes

3 scams
3 scams. I am going to take the chain letter to my local postmaster. That is what the USPS wants you to do with illegal chain letters. The other 2 are going to New York.

Drowning in Junk Mail – This week in Junk Mail the week after Christmas 9 pieces

/ darthjenni / 8 Comments

So I went on Christmas vacation and this was waiting for me when I returned.

All 9 pieces

9 pieces, not bad for a short week. I am just going to do a rundown of all the junk mail that came. I will have a email sending, phone calling, form 1500 filling out, DMA complaint sending, envelope stuffing party, when the holidays settle down and everyone gets back to the office.

Random political junk mail

James o' Keefe Project Veritas
Project Veritas run by James O’Keefe opt-out here info@theprojectveritas.com Note to self: No response to email time to send a complaint to the DMA.

American Immigration Control Foundation
American Immigration Control Foundation, They also have this website. Opt out here aic@immigrationcontrol.com (540) 468-2023 (I found those on their Facebook page, don’t make me work that hard it only makes me madder.)

Random Charities

Environmental Defense Fund
Environmental Defense Fund, Wiki page, Charity Navigator page, opt out here or call (800) 684-3322. Their fundraisers are Integral Resources, Public Interest Communications, Strategic Fundraising

African Wildlife Foundation
African Wildlife Foundation, Wiki page, Charity Navigator page. Opt-out here africanwildlife@awf.org no response, call (888) 494-5354. Their fund raiser is Sanky inc

Natural Resources Defense Council NDRC
Natural Resources Defense Council, Wiki page, Charity Navigator page, opt-out here membership@nrdc.org. I also called (212) 727-2700 and they dumped me to a voice mail that is just for getting off their mailing list. Should be dropped the first week in February.

ALS Association
ALS Association (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) Wiki page, Charity Navigator page. Their fundraiser is Strategic Fundraising. Opt-out here: The national email address alsinfo@alsa-national.org, the donation email address donations@alsa-national.org. I got no response so I called the donation hot line (888) 949-2577. Should be dropped the second week in February.

Terry Morrison Disabled Police Officers of America
Disabled Police Officers of America Inc. Charity Navigator page Zero stars, it is one of the worst charities in America Opt-out through Base Connect. I contacted Base Connect in August. The mail from them should have stopped months ago, I sent a complaint to the DMA.

As Seen on Oprah and 20/20 Chain Letter scam
As Seen on Oprah and 20/20 Chain Letter scam. The letter mentions where to buy new names Dataline 800-497-2912. They are not the scammers! When you call them to get off their mailing list, be nice to them. An example of the letter from 2009. The USPS Postal Inspector on chain letters. They want you to turn over any chain letter you receive that asks for money or other items of value to your local postmaster or nearest Postal Inspector. Write on the mailing envelope of the letter or in a separate transmittal letter, “I received this in the mail and believe it may be illegal.”

Prize Finding Bureau
Prize Finding Bureau Customer Processing Postbus 67 6670 AB Zetten Netherlands

And that is where I will stop for this week.

Drowning in Junk Mail – This week in Junk Mail, the week before Christmas 15 pieces

/ darthjenni / 5 Comments

All 15 pieces
I went on Christmas vacation on the 19th and came back on the 29th. So this entry is only going to be for 4 days 12/15-12/18. I am only going to list the junk mail for this week, and the week that I was gone (next blog post). No one is in the office right now, so emails, and phone calls will go unanswered. I will have a email sending, phone calling, form 1500 filling out, DMA complaint sending, envelope stuffing party after the new year.

College Republican National Committee covered in mold
On 12/18 I got a stack of nasty, moldy, old junk mail. I think they were from August. Some of them had a URGENT!! RETURN BY August blah blah date. I am going to ignore these. I have started the process to stop most of them already.

Boehner and RNC

Random Political junk mail

3 from St. Joseph's Indian School
3 from St. Joseph’s Indian School. Ug, I thought I had ditched the crazy misspelling but it is back 😦 It takes a full 90 days for them to stop. Here is hoping this is the last I see of them this year.

2 charities
2 random charities

Logistic Processing scam
1 scam
Logistic Processing PB 5 Fagotweg 6 4330 AA Middelburg Holland

I read about how the scammers will tell their victims not to talk about the scam and all the money the vicim is sending out. I have been on the look out for a good example. This letter has a great one:

“First, you must promise never to divulge the source of your next Fortune, because Mr. X knows from experience that you risk losing everything. That is why he is asking you to keep this a secret.”

That is where I am going to stop today. Tune in tomorrow to see what came while I was out galavanting in Utah.