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We don't like direct marketers, but we should have the least amount of venom for the The Direct Marketers Association. They maintain legitimate opt-out lists for email, telephone, and junk mail. Not every "marketer" uese 'em, but those that do use the lists only use them to opt customers out.

If it reduces just some of the harassment, isn't it worth it?

Less junk mail
Fewer telemarketers
Less spam

And BTW: don't be lazy and use the $5 Internet option. Print out the page and pop it in the post for less than 10% of the cost.

generally speaking, spammers will unsubscribe you. Ever tried to unsubscribe to junk mail? Impossible.

The Mail Preference Service

Why oh why did you link to the New York one? Don't you know there are more?

There's also an effort to make a national one.

And don't forget the DMA lists.

especially funny are the ones where they claim that "if you don't register .tv, you'll lose your opportunity forever." like I care.
I'm glad they are doing something about this. If you want general direct mail stopped, or at least slowed down, check out this site.

Fill out the form.

Press "Register by mail".

Get a stamp and envelope, and mail it to this address (Also on the form).

MAIL PREFERENCE SERVICE
ATTN: DEPT: 6538045
DIRECT MARKETING ASSOCIATION
P.O. BOX 282
CARMEL NY 10512

Repeat in 5 years.

Works well for me.

If you want to stop receiving telemarketing calls in the UK you can register with the Telephone Preference Service. It is backed by Oftel and it will stop telemarketers as they can be hit with big fines if you are on the list and they call you.

There is a similar service for junk faxes, the Fax Preference Service and even regular junk mail.

They have a similar spam blocking service but I doubt how useful that is :-)

After about 8 months of consistently asking to be put on do-not-call lists, all telemarking calls to my home number stopped. (I also registered with the Direct Mail Marketing Association's telephone preference service, which may have helped.)

Some states have do not call lists (here's a list). While it can be fun to mess with telemarketers, I prefer to be left alone.

You can do it online or by mail. Sending it through the mail is mostly free (except for the paper, envelope, and stamp). Note that they charge $5 for the convenience of registering for the Telephone Preference Service online. Can you believe that??

Yeah, right--I don't want you jackasses to call me, but here's my credit card number and $5 so you don't do it again!

2) Hit the Direct Marketing Assocaion's web site for consumers and jump through the hoops to get on their "Telephone Preference List". This is a list of people maintained by the Direct Marketing Association who do not wish to receive telemarketing calls. It won't cut them all out but it will cut down on the volume. While you're there, they also have a "Direct Mail Preference List" which will likewise cut down on the amount of junk mail you receive. (They also have a spam preference list but most spammers are too slimey to bother with the DMA. I surprised more spammers haven't bought the no spam list just to get the valid e-mail addresses from the list and then spam people anyway).

Over on this side of the big pond, the cost of calling mobile telephones is still orders of magnitude higher than making national or local calls, and in some instances comparable (or even more expensive, if you use some of the specialist long-distance carriers) to making international calls. Example: Calls to mobiles are charged at anywhere from 18.90 to 26.05 pence per minute including tax during the daytime. Compare this to international rate calls to the USA at 14.00 and Australia at 22.00 pence per minute. (Source: BT price list). The cost alone is usually sufficient to put people of making calls to mobiles. SMS (text messaging) spam is become more popular though.

The UK Direct Marketing Association, which is the self regulatory body for direct marketeers in the UK run a scheme called the Telephone Preference Service or 'TPS'. From personal experience, I have found this scheme to be particularly effective against junk callers.

The same bunch also run a postal-mail and fax opt-out service, which is apparently also fairly successful, and an Email service, which I'm somewhat sceptical about (not giving my addressesout anyway, I shouldn't be on their lists). (and most of my spam comes from the USA anyhow) Under the Telecommunications (Data Protection and Privacy Regulations) 1999 it is an offence for any company engaged in direct marketing to call numbers listed on the TPS. Those who do can be 'shopped' straight away on the TPS site. One difference I noticed with the USA version of the TPS is that in the USA, you can still be called by local traders, charities and religious groups, AND your number only registers for five years. In the UK, local traders, charities and religious groups are included in the act.

Telephone: Telephone Preference Service

E-mail: E-mail Preference Service

Fax: Fax Preference Service

Snail mail: Mail Preference Service