How to get some revenge on the credit companies

Step 9 Finishing Up.

At this point all you need to do is mail them. Remember that the credit companies pay the return postage and you do not need a stamp.

If enough people adopt this method of rebellion, the credit companies may begin to rethink their strategies of mass advertising. Probably not, but at least we are giving back to them the trash that they have given to us for so long. It is now thier responsibility to worry about recycling!

(Many, many, many people have commented that you can tape the envelopes to bricks or other heavy objects to run up the postage rates that the companies have to pay. I feel that I should point out that the bricks NEVER get delivered and the companies DO NOT pay for them. The postal service has regulations on the size of the envelopes as well as the weight. If the package exceeds the correct size and weight, the USPS DOES NOT DELIVER IT! This was put into place to keep people from mailing bricks and other heavy objects.)

Comments

[VincentDA]

Why have I not thought of this? All this time I've been throwing them out and mumbling at the garbage pale in disgust. You sir, just gave me a new hobby, and for that, I thank you.

[olly1361]

I know a way that you can annoy them even more. Copy the address on a new envolope and pots it to them. They will have to pay a premium postage rate for the letter. This not only costs them money but it also costs them time

[Nintendo_Expedition]

I like the way you think. Enough credit card companies jerking us around, La Resistance!

[SickofSnow]

No one has mentioned that this practice is against the law. Its called "mail fraud", and you could be prosecuted. The United States Postal Service is not to be considered a public venue for our junk mail protests. To avoid any traceable evidence, you need to cut out ALL references to your identity. These include bar codes, company codes, your name and address, the application number, etc. Cut these out before mailing back, or you could end up being the poster boy for mail fraud: What Not To Do to the USPS!

[detox]

You are going to have to provide a reference to the section of law that you are referring too. If it was illegal to mail junk to people we wouldn't have this problem in the first place.

[SickofSnow]

Ya know, Detox, I have spent 2 hours searching for the applicable law, and I couldn't find it! So you are probably right, and I am wrong. I had always heard this was illegal, but I cannot prove it. However, it sort of does seem to be like "stealing", because one is spending the sender's postage for purposes other than intended by sender.

Also, I did learn a few things in my search. For example, stuffing the envelope with heavy contents to make them pay more postage, I don't think that works. Here's the applicable law under
United States Postal Service's Domestic Mail Manual: http://pe.usps.gov/text/DMM300/508.htm

While doing my search, I came across countless forums with folks all talking about, and doing, the same thing!! Apparently, returning junk mail to sender is quite common! Maybe we'll actually get somewhere on this! Thanks for your post.

[snowyzn]

I would so send all the junk mail I get and send it to them.

[tunafish]

It is only illegal if you send them something harmful. Sending their cr4p back to them is NOT illegal. If you are afraid of it, then just write "Return to Sender" on the letter and mail it back.

[georion]

Post office does not return mail that is not "first class" ==The Post office Trashes that mail.--go ahead and ask.

[aun]

I just put a label over the front of the return envelope, address it to whoever I want to send to, and send it out at the junk mail company's expense. I never thought about whether it was legal or not, I hope it is!

[darthneo]

I thought most say something like "to be paid by addressee"?

[jongscx]

... it's illegal It says it right on the front of the envelope in pretty blatant language...

[amishjim]

Just Remember: If the package weighs more than 13 ounces, you have to take it to a Post Office Counter to mail....

[MercuryX]

You could mail them back something much more nasty... I don't know - use your imagination.

[ryanzxc]

We did the same thing but with 1/16 inch plates of steal that filled the envelope. We happened to be outside when the mailman picked it up and he just laughed and put it with the rest of the mail.

[TheRevJester]

This is exactly what I was going to suggest. Glad someone got it already!

[pascha]

That's really good. What I do, since I'm a religious RECYCLER, is take all of the plastic windows out of envelopes. The envelopes are not recyclable withe plastic windows in them. I usually open my mail about twice a week and gather all of the plastic windows and all of the business reply mail envelopes and combine the two and mail them off. The way I see it, if they mail me unrecyclable trash, then I can mail them my unrecyclable trash.

[Noodle93]

Well there's one way to get rid of your plastic bags.

[someone13]

Alternatively, you can simply superglue one of these envelopes to a brick. ... Yeah, get back at the man.

[darkkoe]

can i still get the knife at the asian store if theres no sale?

[mzmaker]

I like your Idea

[lynzay_]

perhaps the mailroom workers would appreciate a half day off and some free talcum powder?

[votecoffee]

Any fake of anthrax is highly illegal. You're looking at heavy fines and possible jail time.

[lynzay_]

only if you live in the united police state of america.

[Cosmic Warrior]

This is a neat instructional, but not complete. What you do is you take one of the envelopes that says "Postage Paid By Addressee" that they give you. Duct tape it to a box containing a concrete block or some other heavy objects. Take it to the post office. Send. US Postal regulations say you can send a maximum (I think) of 75 pounds. If the credit card company is paying the postage, then max out the weight of the box you are sending them. They are required to pay the postage, and the Postal Service will deliver whatever is attached to the envelope.

[superdude4agze]

I can confirm this. As I formerly worked at a company that had these prepaid envelopes. Not sure if the weight above is correct, but it sounds close. Might be 50 or 60lbs though.

[radiobath]

THAT is awesome. You have just sparked my interest in using this instructable.

[stewiesimpson]

i bet they will recycle and mail it back to you again

[anonymouscoworker]

This may work, but at best it costs the companies a few cents, and at worst it overburdens mail-carriers and the minimum-wage paid mail-room slaves who are forced to sift through your trash.<br/><br/>You can stop getting most credit mail by visiting <a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.optoutprescreen.com/?rf=t">https://www.optoutprescreen.com/</a><a rel="nofollow" href="https://www.optoutprescreen.com/">https://www.optoutprescreen.com/</a><br/>

[SlothOnSpeed]

I used an opt-out prescreen at one of the credit bureau sites about two months ago, and the stacks of preapproved offers stopped almost immediately. As much fun as it is to imagine the credit card companies' highly paid executives suffering because we put mashed potatoes or whatnot in their reply envelopes, the fact is most business reply mail is usually handled offshore, by employees who would think that the US minimum wage is a magical dream. They open the mail, key in the information and dispose of the paper, bricks, salami, etc. They don't know or care about your protest, all they do is handle mail. It's easier and way more productive to opt out of the credit card offers.

[ksenter]

I agree completely, why go through this extra effort when they give you a way to stop these? I opted out with the prescreen opt-out website a couple of years ago and haven't received a single offer since then.

[zaro12345]

Because this is alot more fun for people with nothing better to do.

[dinkumator]

i did this about 2 years ago and my junk mail dropped to like 1/10th of what it was... i still get the occasional offer but it is considerably less than before.

[kbs2244]

As good as this may make you feel, it will not work. Things like this are factored into every direct mail project. What you are suggesting is nothing new. It has been done for years. These are multi million dollar projects. What dose a few cents worth of trash returned mail amount to in the long run? Just get yourself on the DMA (Direct Markrting Assoc.) "Do Not Mail List" It is free and easy. Search for "DMA." They make it easy to "opt out". By phone, mail, e-mail. They know it costs them money to send to people that don't want anything and they will delete you for 5 years IF YOU ASK IN THEIR WAY. Due to the typical lag, it may take 6 months. But belive me, once you are in their "do not mail list" the volume will go way down. Just don't move. Then it starts all over again .

[saintneko]

It seems they make you pay a dollar to get on the list.

[GHogge]

Here's an idea I'm going to try... I'm going to create a website that caters to the needs of mailroom workers and then put ads for that website in the envelopes. What do y'all think of that?

[The_Harbinger]

I used to get mailings from a religious organization. Despite repeated requests for them to take me off their mailing list, they kept sending their junk. My solution? I took one of their solicitation letters, wrote on it with a Sharpie, "NOW will you finally take me off your mailing list?" and put it in the postage-paid return envelope. I then used clear packing tape and attached the envelope to a brick before dropping it in the mailbox. I never got anything else from them. :)

[Mad Scientist]

I get a lot of charity junk mail, been doing it to them for years. People think of consequences too much, who cares if your annoying the 'barely minimum wage' people in the mailing rooms or the mail carriers, as long as you annoy someone.

[hipstomp]

You should really think about this 3 or 4 steps ahead of what happens when the mail leaves your house. While I get frustrated by receiving the junk mail we all do, what you're advocating here spreads negativity to the wrong people. The people who work in the mailroom at Visa are *not* the same people cooking up the nasty policies and profiting from it--these are low-income earners who probably already hate their jobs, and those are the people you're aggravating. If they complain about receiving shredded mail to their supervisor, I doubt the CEO is going to take note, gasp, and cancel their direct mail policy. Plus, and I could be wrong on this, I thought bulk mailers pay the postage up front, not per piece of mail that actually gets sent back.

[Markp.com]

You don't think that the mail room people receiving such items would tell anyone else in the company? I'm sure if I'd have received such junk it would have quickly moved up the chain of command right to the top. It would also help if there was a letter explaining why this item was sent.