Fun with postage paid envelopes from credit card offers.

[unhappycamper]

There have been threads from time to time about the best way to handle those annoying credit cards offers. Most suggestions are to shred the offer & return the envelope with some goodies. Some of the goodies mentioned include: tea bags, thin plates of lead, sand, washers, salt, and old newspapers. IMHO, the PO is gonna get pissed at you if you screw up the sorting machines.

My personal choice has been old magazines and mail order catalogs. The paper is very dense and heavy. I cut the mag or catalog up into strips to fit the envelope. When I took the latest batch of those prepaid envelopes back to the PO, I talked to my buddy Bob. "Bob" I sez, "how much is this gonna cost these guys?" Bob being the good public servant he is, stuck my prepaid envelope on the weighing scale & said "About $2.41." The second was $2.44 and the third was only $1.94.

This suggestion is clearly a public service. You

a) get rid of trash that may end up in your landfill
b) generate revenue for the Post Office
c) cause a hit on the bottom line of credit line loan sharks sending this crap.

I make it a point not to deface any printing on the return envelope; I want these fucks to know who it's from.

[RobertSeattle]

1. Make sure you obfuscate any codes on the envelope

I believe MNBA puts somekind of code on their envelopes - I always cut it out before I send them back my "applications"...

I somehow got one an RNC mail list as well. They typically get the Downing Street Memo back in response.

:evilgrin:

[Demobrat]

2. There's an easier way.

Just write "Refused. Return to sender" on the envelope and pop it in the mail. This will cost them more than stuffing the return envelope, because of all the inserts, terms & conditions, return envelope, letter, application etc. contained in the package. There's no way you could stuff that little return envelope fuller than the original package they send you.

Plus it has the added advantage of getting you taken off the mailing list.

[PATRICK]

4. Check out the instructions

"return service requested" should be under the return address or the PO probably gets to burn it as undeliverable garbage. The business reply effort pays off more because I think the clerk jstill weigh and charge before the busienss receives the prelies and gets to reject suspiciously and uselesslty weighty envelopes.

Worth the extra effort and don't screw our machines by making them thick and sloppy. They might make it then either.

[sybylla]

6. I send all the crap they sent me in the return envelope

with lots of instructions written all over the original offer form including "remove me from your mailing list" and "do not sell, rent or give my information to anyone." I fold up the original envelope and any materials that don't fit otherwise and stuff it all in. They get it all back so they can dispose of it locally, rather than in my beautiful state.

Same effect and I know they got it.

[rkc3]

3. My MIL, a RW nutter, sends all unsolicited credit card offers back to the

sender in their pre-paid envelopes. She packs the envelope full of stuff from cable and utility companies.

She would proud to learn that someone is going the extra mile.

There was a post here recently about opting out of these offers from credit card companies. I checked the site and it appeared to be respectable. Has anyone tried the opt-out option from the site? I apologize in advance for not remembering the web address.

On edit - here's the link:

https://www.optoutprescreen.com/?rf=t

[pookieblue]

5. FYI

Most of that stuff goes to a mail opening service and never makes it to the credit card company. They get the note and credit card back... but the rest of the junk goes into the trash at the mail opening service.

Sending it all back, does not hurt the credit card company but it does hurt the poor sap that is stuck opening the mail.

[unhappycamper]

7. Don't forget the (return) postage costs. n/t

[Zenlitened]

8. Think of it as a job creation plan.

Staffing needs at the mail service are kept high thanks to the effort, dedication and involvement of people sending crud back in the reply envelopes. :patriot: