darxus | Boston Globe refuses to stop sending me postal spam.

Boston Globe refuses to stop sending me postal spam.

Globe Direct, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Boston Globe.

I've called them four times over the last 12 days. The first two on a Monday at 12:47, and Tuesday at 12:30. I've dug through their phone menuing labyrinth in an attempt to get a human and failed. Every time I left a very polite voicemail with my name, phone number, a request that they stop mailing me, and a request that they call me.

So I called the Boston Globe's main number, and asked them what I should do, given that they own this company that refuses to stop mailing me. After they suggested that I do what I've been doing, their response was:

"I guess there's not really much more you can do."

So I asked for contact info for someone within the Globe to complain to. They gave me:

Director of Sales
Susan Hunt Stevens
617-929-7310

She has no voicemail. Can't wait for Monday.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

start putting "return to sender" on everything?

take them to small claims court :)

bill them :>

also tell them to not sell/trade/swap your personal information, address, phone number, etc.

i saw a service on tv, that you sign up for that drastically reduces junk mail, credit card offers, and protects your identity as well. apparentlyly it's pretty bad out there if they can make money at this.

#

"Rreturn to sender" does not work on bulk mail.

I'm sure you know this, but make sure that you use the magic phrase "do not call list" since that apparently triggers some kind of post-hypnotic suggestion in direct mail marketers that gets them to remove you, while "please stop calling me" apparently doesn't. Also, if your name is on the national do not call and direct mail prevention lists, tell them that, too. Any rep who wants to keep their job will say, "it will take X weeks for you to stop receiving the mail we've already sent," and then it will stop.

If you're on the national lists, you technically have legal recourse, and you can remind them of that, too. One more thing (from working in a phone bank and reading the Consumerist), if you're going to call Susan, between 1 and 3 is ideal. At the times you called, the people you wanted were either at lunch, or pretending to be at lunch. You're more likely to get a live person in the mid-afternoons.

I hope this helps, and that you get off their lists.

The importance of the words "do not call list" (http://consumerist.com/consumer/insiders/to-get-telemarketers-to-stop-you-must-specifically-say-put-me-on-your-do-not-call-list-293687.php)

Call and Main Registry Info (http://consumerist.com/consumer/howto/howto-stop-the-direct-marketers-157404.php)

Just in case you or your readers might get some use out of them...

Actually, you're incorrect. One has recourse (if one's phone number is on the national do-not-call list) against unsolicited telephone calls. There is no recourse against unsolicited postal mail. Indeed, certain classes of mail can be sent to addresses or postal routes without regard to recipient. The USPS is required to make reasonable efforts to deliver such mail and they're not required to return it to sender under any circumstances - so even if you mark it undeliverable and leave it for your letter carrier, there's no obligation for him/her to collect it and even if it gets collected the postal service will dispose of it.

[On a slightly related note, the domestic mail manual states that the USPS does not have to deliver, for example, business reply mail that has been attached to a brick.]

You're right; I was thinking specifically of the calls (however, not having legal recourse for the mail doesn't mean that one can't claim legal recourse to the CSR - most of them wouldn't know any better).

Definitely don't attach mail to a brick. If you just put washers in the envelope the weight only goes up slightly, and it will still get delivered.

Write a snail mail letter to the preident of the company.

Glad I'm not the only one who loathes the Globe Direct clogging up my mailbox.

the same seems to be true of the Lowell Sun, which distributes the useless paxkets of ads and circulars up here. I spoke to a person, who assured me i'd be removed from the list, and it just keeps coming.

It is somewhat soothing to know that we have a woodstove...

That sounds like something described on the page I recently linked to on the subject.

I'm guessing there is no destination address on it? And your postman may just be in the habit of giving them to everyone, and might not have been informed that you shouldn't get them anymore. In which case the solution is to tell him, and possibly inform him it's illegal to deliver mail without a destination address.

I came across this page while looking for a way to stop junk mail, in particular Globe Direct. I don't know if you ended up having any success, you can try:
Jennifer Larson at 617-871-1980

I have more information here:
http://thegreenrabbit.wordpress.com/2008/04/17/reducing-paper-junk-mail-and-telemarketing-calls-in-cambridge/
Including direct phone numbers to other Globe Direct staff and a method to stop those blue envelopes filled with coupons (Valupak)

Yes. The rest of the process was still infuriating, but the path from this post was very direct. I called that number, she was out, her voicemail gave me another number, I called that, the person eventually got me off the list.

Later, much better information showed up here: http://community.livejournal.com/davis_square/1142581.html

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Boston Globe refuses to stop sending me postal spam.

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did you have any success?

Re: did you have any success?