Wow, I just got a great letter with a survey in it about how I think things are going, how I feel about taxes and the war and.... I google'd it.
It is a list generation scheme, requesting that you include your home and daytime phone numbers at the bottom of the survey so they can contact you with questions. Or, if you believe the 'net, with opportunities to invest in various
schemes.
I'll quote it below in case you are curious, but the summary is that they generate lists of phone numbers and validated addresses for people who respond affirmatively to things without thinking. Not the best list to be on, I'd guess.
Do your part for civilization. Return their post paid envelope, but trash the survey (it has your address on it). Turns out I'm in favor of a strong tax increase, and possibly capital punishment, for people who send spam.
http://www.statlistics.com/datacards/fidc148.htm quoted below:
Investor Protection Association for America
responders are affluent investors with a vested
interest in tax reform, protection of investors'
rights, the effect of high energy costs on the
economy and increased political awareness. They
are concerned with pending legislation and how
Congressional decisions will impact their
financial future. More importantly they are
willing to tell Congress what they feel their
priorities should be!
IPAA responders subscribe to investment
newsletters, financial publications, business
publications, they are donors as well as financial
and economic book buyers. They have the
discretionary income to invest in stocks, bonds,
annuities, commodities, mutual funds, oil and gas
and hedge funds as well as subscribe to
publications, books and fundraising offers.
Friday, July 27, 2007
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
17 comments:
Thanks,Dave.I sent their survey back telling them that their questions didn`t have appropriate answers,ann they should correct it and send it back if they want.I doubt that they will.
I gave them my phone number which is on the "DO NOT CALL" list and if they do call me,I`ll register a complaint with the U.S. Dept of Commerce.
The whole essence of the letter has the stench of Right wing push polls all over it.
Thanks, Dave. You saved me a buttload of hassles. Now I know to send it back, filled out, conveniently missing the top quarter! ;-)
thanks dave. I thought I was special for a minute, that the gov't might actually care what I think. I was a little skeptical too, so I googled this Investor Portection Association for America. that's where I found your blog. thanks. I won't waste my time, but I will return the envelope (empty).
Thanks Dave,
I really appreciate people like you who only get gratitude but deserve so much more.
Bill
Memphis, TN
I too sent back an empty envelope after I read your blog. It looked like a push poll from a conservative lobbying group to me too. The Washington D.C. return address on the envelope gave it away. Fear runs high in certain circles.
Thank you very much; you affirmed my hunch.
Thanks,Dave.I can't believe how authentic these look.Anyway,it's never a good idea to respond to material that ask for your phone#.
Thanks, Dave; yours is the first site that came up when I googled the name of this suspicious "association" I received a survey from, and the only one I needed!
I was prepared to learn it was some oil speculations lobby (based on the questions) but your explanation said it all.
The first comment, from Daniel, demonstrates a mistake it's important not to make: the DO NOT CALL LIST only applies to companies you have had NO voluntary contact with since registering not to be called. He totally gave them permission to call him by giving them one of his phone numbers. Just so everyone knows.
Sending back the empty IPAA-prepaid envelope, or even including a piece of your mind anonymously, is the way to go!
I just got the mailing in NJ, so thanks for the tip. I've updated http://www.wikihow.com/Track-US-Legislation-and-Congress with a generic warning of this.
Dont just send the envolope back. Tape it to a box of rocks or a stack of phone books. This trick was published in Steal This Book by Abby Hoffman. It will arrive first class and the company will pay a fortune.
I just stuffed it with a old card board folded to fit the envelope and mailed. It weighed quite a bit [more than the negotiated bulk rate I am sure :-)]. Let them pay for some of the garbage!!
Thanks Dave for the heads up and the suggestions from everyone else. I particularly like making it heavy.
Thanks, Dave,
I sent mine back, not filled out; however, I did stuff the envelope with about 4 oz. of scrap paper, so they will have to pay the much higher rate for such a heavy 1st-Class mailing! An old trick I learned from Andy Rooney of 60 Minutes fame.
IPAA junk is still being mailed out. Got mine today and followed the advice here.
Remove my name, correct the survey and send it back at their expense.
Wow. I got one of these today - that's more than a year this has been going on. Thanks!
this is a laate response, but needs to be brought to the public's attention:
Having your number on the "do not call" list doesn't prevent any calls in this case, as you directly supplied them with your number, which gives them (and their affiliates) implicit permission to call you regardless of your "do not call" status.
Use a little logic here: If the "do not call" list overrode your giving them your number, you couldn't do any business by phone, because your number was on the list. So, the dry cleaners couldn't call to tell you your shirts are ready, your bank couldn't call you for the status of your mortgage, etc.
Post a Comment