try this

[Edge]

Just had this email from my baby sister (she's 36). I for one get loads of unwanted calls junk mail etc and will be putting these tips into practice

(1)Three Little Words That Work !
>
> The three little words are: "Hold On please..."
>
>Saying this, while putting down your phone and walking off (instead of
>hanging-up immediately) would make each telemarketing call so much more
>time-consuming that boiler room sales would grind to a halt.
>
>Then when you eventually hear the phone company's "beep-beep-beep" tone,
>you
>know it's time to go back and hang up your handset, which has efficiently
>completed its task.
>
>These three little words will help eliminate telephone soliciting.
>
>
>
> (2) Do you ever get those annoying phone calls with no one on the other
>end?
>
>This is a telemarketing technique where a machine makes phone calls and
>records the time of day when a person answers the phone.
>
>This technique is used to determine the best time of day for a "real" sales
>person to call back and get someone at home.
>
>What you can do after answering, if you notice there is no one there, is to
>immediately start hitting your # button on the phone, 6 or 7 times, as
>quickly as possible
>
>This confuses the machine that dialled the call and it kicks your number
>out
>of their system. Gosh, what a shame not to have your name in their system
>any longer !!!
>
>
>
>3) Junk Mail Help:
>
>When you get "ads" enclosed with your phone or utility bill, return these
>"ads" with your payment.
>
>Let the sending companies throw their own junk mail away.
>
>When you get those "pre-approved" letters in the mail for everything from
>credit cards to 2nd mortgages and similar type junk, do not throw away the
>return envelope.
>
>Most of these come with postage-paid return envelopes, right? It costs them
>more than the regular 24p postage "IF" and when they receive them back.
>
>It costs them nothing if you throw them away! The postage was around 29p
>before the last increase and it is according to the weight.
>
>In that case, why not get rid of some of your other junk mail and put it in
>their postage-paid return envelopes.
>
>For example; send an ad for your local chimney cleaner to American Express.
>
>Send a pizza coupon to Citibank.
>
>If you didn't get anything else that day, then just send them their blank
>application back!
>
>If you want to remain anonymous, just make sure your name isn't on anything
>you send them.
>
>You can even send the envelope back empty if you want to just to keep them
>guessing! It still costs them 24p.
>
>The banks and credit card companies are currently getting a lot of their
>own
>junk back in the mail, but folks, we need to OVERWHELM them.
>
>Let's let them know what it's like to get lots of junk mail, and best of
>all
>they're paying for it...Twice!
>
>Let's help keep our postal service busy since they are saying that e-mail
>is
>cutting into their business profits, and that's why they need to increase
>postage costs again.
>
>You get the idea ?
>
>
>
>If enough people follow these tips, it will work ! :twisted:

[Mudlark]

I like it  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:  :lol:

[spyke_boi]

>3) Junk Mail Help:
>
>When you get "ads" enclosed with your phone or utility bill, return these
>"ads" with your payment.
>
>Let the sending companies throw their own junk mail away.
>
>When you get those "pre-approved" letters in the mail for everything from
>credit cards to 2nd mortgages and similar type junk, do not throw away the
>return envelope.
>
>Most of these come with postage-paid return envelopes, right? It costs them
>more than the regular 24p postage "IF" and when they receive them back.
>
>It costs them nothing if you throw them away! The postage was around 29p
>before the last increase and it is according to the weight.
>
>In that case, why not get rid of some of your other junk mail and put it in
>their postage-paid return envelopes.
>
>For example; send an ad for your local chimney cleaner to American Express.
>
>Send a pizza coupon to Citibank.
>
>If you didn't get anything else that day, then just send them their blank
>application back!
>
>If you want to remain anonymous, just make sure your name isn't on anything
>you send them.
>
>You can even send the envelope back empty if you want to just to keep them
>guessing! It still costs them 24p.
>
>The banks and credit card companies are currently getting a lot of their
>own
>junk back in the mail, but folks, we need to OVERWHELM them.
>
>Let's let them know what it's like to get lots of junk mail, and best of
>all
>they're paying for it...Twice!
>
>Let's help keep our postal service busy since they are saying that e-mail
>is
>cutting into their business profits, and that's why they need to increase
>postage costs again.
>
>You get the idea ?
>
>
>
>If enough people follow these tips, it will work ! :twisted:

If we start doing this, LittleDan will have to work harder, lol

Sorry dan, but it sounds like a fun idea!

[winchman]

I do the post thing allready, have a little laugh to my self when I send the local Pizza menus out.
My mate has sent several Argos catalogues, just wrap them up and stick the envolope to the front.

The phone calls do my head in as I work shifts, so I have joined the telephone preferance thing, hardly get any now.
But I did get a spate of them to my mobile but not any more dont know why?
The secret is never give any one your home number, its often taken to credit score you easily.
Pontins rang me yesterday, must have the number from a holiday we took two years ago, shows how they hang on to your details.

I had some trouble with an Orange dealer ringing my 8 year old daughters phone trying to flog her a contract, I answered it and whilst he was very plauseable and gave me the dealer number, he told me they dial random numbers, I was concerned if the call was genuine, Orange wouldnt confirm if it was or not, till I threatened him with going to the Police as it was an unsolicited call to an 8 year old girls phone, then he was falling over him self.
Just take a moment and explain the dangers to your children. :!:

We bought a kitchen from B&Q, gave them the number as it was intrest free, with in a week I had 3 different load companies on the phone, and as far as we can remember we gave the number to no one else.
I just tell them I havent got a phone, they give ma a strange look when its stuck on my belt but I tell them its a work one.
I just feel its a gross invasion of your privacy.
Right I will go and put my soap box back in the shed. :lol: