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National Do Not Call List & Do Not Mail Service: Stop Cold Calls and Junk Mail!

Tired of all the phone calls and junk mail trying to sell products and services you don’t want?

Many of us hate the idea of being contacted by those who are just trying to get our money. It’s possible that junk mail and marketing phone calls only serve to annoy. After all, most of the time they don’t even offer something you want.

The good news is that there are two lists you can sign up for to stop most of the calls and mail… the National Do Not Call List and the Do Not Contact Service. Registration is valid for three years for either list, so after the three years is up, you will need to sign up for the list again.

National Do Not Call List

To reduce the amount of phone calls you receive from telemarketers, you’ll want to sign up for the CRTC’s National Do Not Call List. This list is designed to keep your phone number out of the clutches of companies that call trying to sell you stuff. If you want to stop the dinnertime calls, this is the list for you.

There are some ways that marketers can get around the requirements of the do not call list. They can still call if they receive your consent, and this could be as simple as entering a contest. So, if you sign up for their list in any way, shape, or form, they can still call you, even though you are on the national list. You will have to ask to be removed from the company’s own internal list.

There are also some other exemptions to the do not call list rules:

  • Registered charities
  • Political parties and candidates
  • Opinion polling and market research firms
  • General circulation newspapers

And, of course, you should note that scammers never adhere to such rules. You’re going to get calls from fraudsters no matter what you do.

Do Not Mail Service

To reduce the amount of marketing offers you receive by mail, register for the CMA’s Do Not Contact Service. The Canadian Marketing Association has over 800 corporate members that will honor your request to not receive mail from them.

This is a great tactic if you are tired of the sweepstakes envelopes, endless credit card offers, and other “prescreened” offers and contest entries. You can have your name removed from these marketing lists and watch as the clutter in your mail box decreases.

It’s important to note that this list focuses on addressed mail, not the weekly flyers that are probably clogging your mail box right now. So, weekly flyers that go out to everyone, regardless, are still going to appear. But your other junk mail should decrease.

And, as with the do not call list, you are going to find yourself solicited by scammers still. There is no way to stop those who try to make money illegally from contacting you in a shady manner. You will have to be on your guard.

Overall, though, these two lists are reasonably effective at reducing the amount of junk mail and marketing calls you receive. It only takes a few minutes, and can save you a great deal in terms of hassle and frustration.

Comments

  1. Bryan Jaskolka

    I’ve often wondered how well these lists work. And actually, I didn’t even really realize that they were actual lists. I’d always thought of them as one of those urban myths you hear about. Thanks for clearing it all up for me!

  2. Alex

    There is a big loophole with these do not call lists. If this list gets distributed to non-Canadian companies, the law does not apply and this is an excellent contact list for them to use. The best way to avoid unsolicited calls is stay away from ballots “for a chance to win”. This is how marketing companies obtain your contact information. When you get a phone call you don’t want, make sure you tell them to remove your number from their list before you hang up.

  3. Big Cajun Man (AW)

    I think you can add Professional organizations and Unions you might be a member of. I have been called every night by either a Political Party or my Union (PSAC) about the election, and they will not relent

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