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Chief Joseph Member
Joined: 10 Nov 2007 Posts: 7709 | TRs | Pics Location: Verlot-Priest Lake |
I recently took over a PO Box from a deceased family member and they receive an insane amount of junk mail. It's a small box and can be completely stuffed within 2 days. I asked the Post Mistress what to do and she said that about all I can do is send them a letter, what a big help she is!
I am thinking trying to call or e-mail them might be my best bet? Anyone have experience with this and if so what has worked best?
Also get a LOT of spam calls and calls from organizations that they have previously donated too...very annoying, but I myself have not had a land line for over 15 years so that will likely go away soon. Although I do live in an area with no cell service so would have to drive a couple miles for service or hopefully use wifi calling.
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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Cyclopath Faster than light
Joined: 20 Mar 2012 Posts: 7744 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
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Cyclopath
Faster than light
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Wed Dec 01, 2021 7:15 pm
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It's very much a shame that donating to a good cause winds up getting you so much mail and I guess calls too. It's like no good deed goes unpunished.
Anne Elk, Chief Joseph
Anne Elk, Chief Joseph
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neek Member
Joined: 12 Sep 2011 Posts: 2338 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle, WA |
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neek
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Wed Dec 01, 2021 8:10 pm
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It's really unfortunate. Some orgs will decide you're not worth their time if you donate small amounts, and sell your name. Even worse, many charities are ineffective. Choose a small number of groups to give a large amount of money to, and research them extensively. https://www.effectivealtruism.org/
By "them" you mean...the people sending junk? Correct. A few helpful sites: https://www.dmachoice.org/ https://www.catalogchoice.org/
Lots more you can do. GIYF. (Actually, Google isn't your friend. DDGIYF, maybe.)
Spam calls...yes, those are diabolical.
BTW, I live in the middle of Seattle and have to use wifi calling because I don't get a cell signal. Go figure.
Chief Joseph
Chief Joseph
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Randito Snarky Member
Joined: 27 Jul 2008 Posts: 9513 | TRs | Pics Location: Bellevue at the moment. |
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Randito
Snarky Member
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Thu Dec 02, 2021 12:28 am
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One of the basic priniciples of "development" is that going back to people that have previously donated.
One method I used to cut the flood of mailings is to call the organiztion and tell them that we would continue to donate only on the condition that they only solicit donations from us once a year. If multiple solitications were made we would no longer donate.
Most mailings have enough information on them that with a little help from google you could find their phone number and call them and tell them that the person is desceased -- this should cut the mailings signifcantly.
Spam phone calls to cell phone can be reduced by blocking calls not contained in your contacts
https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-block-unknown-numbers-android
https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/avoid-unwanted-calls-iphe4b3f7823/ios
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Olympic Hiker Member
Joined: 19 Oct 2009 Posts: 389 | TRs | Pics
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Randito wrote: | Spam phone calls to cell phone can be reduced by blocking calls not contained in your contacts |
I rarely get any spam calls on my smartphone, maybe once or twice a year. I did get one today though, from a local phone number, from someone who left a voicemail talking about how I need the Bible in my life. The voicemail was promptly deleted and the phone number blocked.
If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem. - Lincoln
If you once forfeit the confidence of your fellow citizens, you can never regain their respect and esteem. - Lincoln
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Chief Joseph Member
Joined: 10 Nov 2007 Posts: 7709 | TRs | Pics Location: Verlot-Priest Lake |
Just spent two hours going through a huge stack (maybe 2 weeks worth) of mail. Wrote down a long list of 800 numbers to call and the ones that send a pre-paid envelope I sent them a note. So Imagine I will spend a couple of hours on the phone calling about 30 numbers.
I wonder what the post master does when someone simply abandons a po box and I imagine the new tenant would have issues with the previous owners mail as well?
The phone spam will be a moot point since I am having the line disconnected, landlines are so 1990's anyway..
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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Randito Snarky Member
Joined: 27 Jul 2008 Posts: 9513 | TRs | Pics Location: Bellevue at the moment. |
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Randito
Snarky Member
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Thu Dec 02, 2021 11:47 pm
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Chief Joseph wrote: | I wonder what the post master does when someone simply abandons a po box |
Since the PO Box was retned by a deceased person -- for what reason do you think you need to maintain it?
I'm sure the Post Office has procedures dealing with mail sent to a PO Box that has been closed because the renter has died.
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Chief Joseph Member
Joined: 10 Nov 2007 Posts: 7709 | TRs | Pics Location: Verlot-Priest Lake |
Well, it was my Mom's PO box and I had been living with her about half the year since I retired, and plan to live here as much and probably more now. I have a friend who can pick up the mail in my absence, but would like to get the junk down to where they only have to do it maybe once a week instead of every other day.
O' and I am in an area where there is no local service, "Xtreme Northern Idaho", so a PO box is essential.
The bar-restaurant down the road is also the last one before you get to Canada, I like to refer to it as "The Last line of Defense".
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Cyclopath
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Cyclopath
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Cyclopath Faster than light
Joined: 20 Mar 2012 Posts: 7744 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
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Cyclopath
Faster than light
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Fri Dec 03, 2021 11:38 am
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Over only ever had Android smart phones, I assume iOS is pretty similar but don't know
I put my phone in Do Not Disturb mode. Permanently. In the settings for DND, I made it so people in my contact list can call or message me and the phone will tell me. But when an unknown number calls, nothing. Lot more peace this way.
A lot of these calls spoof local numbers.
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Waterman Member
Joined: 21 Mar 2015 Posts: 590 | TRs | Pics Location: Big Snow Quadrangle |
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Waterman
Member
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Fri Dec 03, 2021 2:55 pm
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Any junk mail with a return envelope gets stuffed full and returned. Make them pay for the postage.
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference.
Robert Frost
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Chief Joseph Member
Joined: 10 Nov 2007 Posts: 7709 | TRs | Pics Location: Verlot-Priest Lake |
How does that ^ work? I mean as far as them paying the postage? I am just sending those back that have pre-paid postage return envelopes.
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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Schroder Member
Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 6722 | TRs | Pics Location: on the beach |
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Schroder
Member
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Fri Dec 03, 2021 4:49 pm
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I'm really surprised to hear the low level of junk you guys are getting. Our PO box is full in about 3 days from sales circulars. I get at least 5 spam calls a day on my cell phone - the latest are social security/medicare scams - and about the same or a bit more in spam text messages.
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Chief Joseph Member
Joined: 10 Nov 2007 Posts: 7709 | TRs | Pics Location: Verlot-Priest Lake |
Maybe the longer one lives, the more junk and spam they get, kind of like how much regular junk most of us acquire?
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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Navy salad Member
Joined: 09 Sep 2008 Posts: 1865 | TRs | Pics Location: Woodinville |
The junk mail I hate most is loose newspaper type fliers. I recently discovered that most of these have a web site listed and even though they won't tell you this on the newspaper, if you go to the website, they usually have an option to be removed from their mailing list for up to 5 years. I tried it and it worked!
Cyclopath, Chief Joseph
Cyclopath, Chief Joseph
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Schroder Member
Joined: 26 Oct 2007 Posts: 6722 | TRs | Pics Location: on the beach |
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Schroder
Member
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Fri Dec 03, 2021 5:33 pm
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I've also had the same phone number for 46 years
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