[wwwdot]

On Friday I received a pre-filled credit card application - just signature needed - with almost 30% APR:exit

Although my move to NZ is 6 months away, I thought there must be some way to remove my name from these direct marketers' registers?! I worry that someone will steal my identity as soon as I've left the country.

I always tick the box not letting them use my details for these purposes, but somehow someone has them and I get a lot of junk from companies I have never had any business with.

Does anyone know, first, where to find out who's got your details and , second, how to get them to delete it all?

[Jo Jo]

To stop junk mail and such, you can register with the Mailing Preference Service. They also operate the Telephone Preference Service to stop sales calls. Details here (http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/mpsr/).

PS it's free

[thejoz]

I agree, it sounds a little worrying. Try and discuss it with your banks fraud prevention officer/person.

Maybe others will have more detailed/informed advice, good luck.

[wwwdot]

To stop junk mail and such, you can register with the Mailing Preference Service. They also operate the Telephone Preference Service to stop sales calls. Details here (http://www.mpsonline.org.uk/mpsr/).

Thanks for this info! This is exactly what I need. :nice1

[napiers]

I haven't done the mail preference service but the telephone one works!

[Jo Jo]

Thanks for this info! This is exactly what I need. :nice1

You're welcome. I've used both the MPS and the TPS in the past and they were excellent. They take a few weeks to kick in, but after that I got no direct marketing mail or sales calls.

[babscat]

The problem with the mail preference service is that it only stops general advertising, ie it cannot stop mail from companies who actually address you by name, e.g. a previous bank, insurance company, or someone from whom you have made an enquiry yourself in the past. Returning such mail marked "return to sender" or "no longer at this address" doesn't often work. (One company told me that Royal Mail don't often deliver it to them).

I spent 6 months ringing in response to every such communication we received, and asked to be connected to an appropriate person. Almost all were very helpful. It's also worth noting that most companies plan their advertising campaigns months in advance, so you continue to get those mass mailings that have been prepared before the date you call.

Its an awful nuisance (and time consuming) to have to go to such lengths but I was worried that some dubious person might live at our address in years to come and identity fraud seems to be on the increase.

Hope this helps!

Barbara

[StevieD]

Plus unscrupulous councils have been known to sell the electoral list for money to these firms.... would have thought there was a legal problem here ?

[victoria]

I understand your concerns.We even got OBVIOUS junk mail forwarded despite a specific tick in the box to the contrary! I decided to play instead. Save your junk mail & post it back but use another's enclosures. For instance, a credit card invite was sent to a pest control company using their prepaid envelope.I removed our details first of course.A political donation request was returned in their envelope with readers digest offer etc. etc. I actually looked forward to receiving all this unwanted crud for the sheer pleasure of deciding whom got what. Pathetic I know but it was a great way to deal with the interim while awaiting our escape to NZ.

[YouMeAndThree]

If you are really concerned about identity fraud/credit being taken out in your name you can sign up to CIFA (http://www.cifas.org.uk/default.asp?edit_id=808-85) - they are a fraud prevention service. My DH took this out last year, for around £14 I think, because he lost all his personal documents (passport, drivers licence etc were in the car because he'd started a new job and they needed to see proof of id - the car then got stolen with all the info in the glove compartment :mad: ) It gives us peace of mind that no one can take out finance in his name as a password/personal check has to be carried out. It does mean you can't get 'instant credit approval' as it will take a day or two for confirmation, but it's not caused us any problems and we feel far safer for it.

[mgbridges]

I signed up with the Mail Preference Service ages ago but as has been said it won't necessarily stop the mail from companies you have contacted in the past. Or companies you have purchased things from in the past. I'm slowly but surely whittling down the amount of junk that is being forwarded to us here in NZ but its taking time and lots of letters.

As an aside my OH's old company used to pay to receive a list of registered deaths in the UK so that they could make sure they didn't market to anyone who was deceased. However not every company chooses to invest in it so some poor families do still get marketing material addressed to a deceased relative.

My Dad also does the old 'send back the pre-paid envelope with either nothing/or something irrelevant in it' routine and gets a small amount of pleasure in doing so! Well he is 73 and rather a 'grumpy old man' at times (much as I love him).

Anneliese

[wwwdot]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions! I look forward to our next junk mail now so that I can return the pre-paid envelope empty or even filling it as full as possible to max their costs (...evil laughter...)

I might start calling some of the companies as well; I am slightly annoyed though that I have to bear the cost when I haven't asked for their service:( Unfortunately I put the credit card one straight through the shredder, so I have no details, but good to keep in mind for the future.

- Finn

[Moorf]

OH used to swap all the application forms and junk around and send the wrong ones to the wrong companies.... :o

[Angelonthemove]

I started anew company through aNZ govt website and within 3 days I had a letter from ANZ bank asking me to open a business account!! No one else had my new company name at that time.

A little tip I was told. When witting out your address on new applications,bank etc make one letter incorrect on your address and remember who you filled out which typo for. When the junk mail arrives addressed to you, if it has that specific typo then chances are it came from that form. Change them around so you can tell which one is which. Putting your middle initial on one application but not another etc. When you work out who it is, give them hell as they all sell their information.

Especially here as postcodes are not in use properly, put your post code differently on each form. My OH always gets it wrong anyway.:laugh but it still gets to our address. We thought we lived in one village turn out we don't after my mother in UK looked it up. All our mail has the wrong address.

[jonSE]

OH used to swap all the application forms and junk around and send the wrong ones to the wrong companies.... :o

I used to do that when I lived in the UK. Would get four or five invites to apply for credit cards per week. I used to fill them in when I was on the bus or train on the way to work in the names I made up for the people around me along with their imaginary circumstances, then mail them back to the wrong CC companies.

I did this fairly consistently for a couple of years, during which time I did make the odd slip up (sending back the application to the correct firm not the wrong one) and recieved follow up mail. I somewhere still have an unused credit card from MBNA in the name of Winston Hitler.

Strangely after we left the UK we had our mail redirected for a year and recieved no junk mail at all.

[Pookeko]

Hallo,

There's two addresses that I wrote to, to stop receiving junk mail:

For unaddressed junk mail:

Opt-Outs
Royal Mail
Kingsmead House
Oxpens Road
Oxford
OX1 1RX

For addressed junk mail (MPS as previously mentioned):

Mail Preference Service (MPS)
Freepost 29
LON 20771
London
W1E 0ZT

I think the Opt-Outs address will cause Royal Mail to send you a letter asking if you are really really sure.

This page (http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content1?catId=400126&mediaId=500081) has other information, which I have just skim read - also I see that the Opt-Outs address is freepost! Or you can email them. :nice1

[slider]

Hallo,

There's two addresses that I wrote to, to stop receiving junk mail:

For unaddressed junk mail:

Opt-Outs
Royal Mail
Kingsmead House
Oxpens Road
Oxford
OX1 1RX

For addressed junk mail (MPS as previously mentioned):

Mail Preference Service (MPS)
Freepost 29
LON 20771
London
W1E 0ZT

I think the Opt-Outs address will cause Royal Mail to send you a letter asking if you are really really sure.

This page (http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content1?catId=400126&mediaId=500081) has other information, which I have just skim read - also I see that the Opt-Outs address is freepost! Or you can email them. :nice1

Thanks Pookeko. Just opted out via e-mail :nice1