Which Is Worse: Spam Or Junk Mail?/How To Get Get Rid Of Both
Posted November 6, 2006 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
If you were given the option, which would you rather not face – an inbox full of spam or a mailbox filled with junk ads and flyers?
The answer, according to a University of Georgia study, is all that garbage in your computer’s inbox.
Researchers know consumers are irritated by both forms of advertising but wanted to find out why spam seemed to especially bother so many.
They pretty much went in knowing the answer.
“Overall, spam definitely is regarded as more annoying, irritating and intrusive than postal direct mail,” agrees Professor Mariko Morimoto. “That was pretty much our hypothesis. And while it’s easy to figure out that spam is more annoying, I also wanted to know why.”
Her survey asked participants to rate the annoyance factor of spam vs. junk mail. And the winner wasn’t even close. The vast majority resent the virtual messages because there’s usually more of them, they’re more apt to be of an unwanted sexual nature and it takes more time to get rid of them.
They also make it harder to sort out the legitimate email you may have been expecting.
Junk mail can simply be discarded into your paper recycling box and occasionally comes with coupons or offers you can actually make use of.
There’s also the perception that because there are significant costs associated with junk mail it’s somehow worth more or is more legitimate. Anyone can send spam for practically no money at all.
Still, spam isn’t a total washout. Morimoto’s study shows some people actually don’t mind receiving the annoying come-ons, as long as they’re from companies they’ve done business with in the past.
“If you cultivate your relationship with consumers in some other venue and then extend that effort to e-mails, then spam can work,” she relates.
And there’s one other big advantage of junk mail – consumers can request the post office not deliver it to your door. Those “no flyers” signs have become more commonplace around the city in recent years, and Canada Post insists their letter carriers respect them.
Spam, on the other hand, is a lot harder to control and depends on the user and his ISP’s own vigilance to keep a small leak from becoming a huge flood.
How To Avoid Junk Mail
Use The Sticker
Canada Post has a policy in place that’s both simple and – it claims – effective. A consumer who doesn’t want to receive those unaddressed ads can simply place a handmade sticker on their front door or mailbox reading “No Flyers Please” and their carrier will no longer leave the items.
The same goes for those who receive letters at one of those community mailboxes, but your notice must be on both the inside and the outside of your personal delivery space.
This in one solution, but it’s not completely effective. Under the law, mail specifically addressed to you must be delivered regardless of whether you want it or not, even if you have a ‘no flyer’ sign.
Watch For The Hidden Checkbox
Many companies – and especially charities – will include a tiny notice on their forms that reads, “We occasionally exchange your address with other companies/charities. Please check here if you do not wish us to exchange your name.”
Make sure that box is checked. If you don’t see one and plan to respond with a donation, make sure you write out ‘please do not exchange my name’ on the response card.
And even that may not be enough. Some commercial firms force you to phone them and specifically request that you be taken off their list, knowing you’ll likely be too lazy to bother.
Use The “Do Not Contact” Service
The Canadian Marketing Association provides a ‘do not contact’ service which you can sign up for over the web. It will keep you flyer free for three years, and can also lets you opt out of telemarketing calls and faxes. To sign up, click here.
Be aware this service only works for companies that come under the C.M.A.’s purview. There’s no requirement for non-members to obey your request, so you could still receive some unwanted items.
How To Avoid Spam
Set Up Filters
Almost every email program now comes with some kind of filter. They can be set up to avoid certain words you’d rather not see in your messages, like “Viagra” or “debt”.
They can also be used to screen out email addresses, but this isn’t always that effective. Spammers generally set up a single address for a mass email then move on to another one to avoid your filtering traps.
Set Up Your Own Multiple Email Addresses
Many ISPs allow you to have multiple email addresses. Use one for personal emails and give it out only to people you trust. The others can be used for business or more public communications, but be aware that as soon it’s posted somewhere, you’re vulnerable to spam.
Make use of free accounts at Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail and others to set up disposable accounts you can easily abandon.
Don’t Leave Your Real Email Address When You’re Posting Online
Spammers use programs to ‘harvest’ email addresses on millions of websites across the world. Once you’re on one of their lists, they get sold to others and the emails multiply. If you do want to post to an online message board or news site, try and throw the programs off by including the words “no spam” somewhere in the address. If the automated reader tries to mindlessly send out something to you, it will wind up at a place that doesn’t exist.
Look Out For Check Boxes
Sometimes when you’re filling out a form online for permission to access a site, the sign up sheet will include a check box that asks you if it’s O.K. to send you the latest deals and marketing offers from a company.
It’s often hard to spot and in your haste to get to the item you really want, it’s easily ignored. Make sure you uncheck this box, so that you don’t receive unwanted mail you accidentally gave them permission to send.
Never Respond
Most spammers will include a note at the bottom of their message indicating ‘if you wish to unsubscribe, click here.’ Don’t. That just tells the malicious mailers your address is a good one and they’ll move you to the top of the list – and you’ll get even more spam than before.
Don’t Buy Anything
Most people never actually read the come-ons spammers send their way, but somebody is buying the stuff they advertise. The surest way to get flooded with more garbage than ever before is to let them make a few bucks off you.
