Junk Mail And Identity

[Maydup]

Just recently we have started to receive junk mail to our postal address, addressed to a person who doesnt live here. Never has done. We have been here 20yrs as were the people before us.

One piece of junk mail goes in the shredder but now its been a couple more, I wonder if there is anything I could or should do about it?

[sunny-dave]

I have the same problem - have recently been getting holiday brochures for an unknown person.

I suspect it's just a cockup on the postcode front, but I'm now returning the mail with increasingly grumpy notes on it (in a red sharpie on the last one ...)

[Maydup]

The first piece if junk mail was from an international political campaign group, the next was PPI, and then something from a medical journal selling subscriptions. So not just one company with a database blip.

It might all stop, but I'm thinking ahead to what I do when I'm drowning in it!

[gness]

Not to worry you, Maydup...but take care....

That happened to my daughter....so long ago so I can't recall the exact details but someone was using her address for some sort of illegal thing to do with child tax credits...or loans...??
That's how vague I am about it now...yours is probably a blip....but just be a bit wary.....x

[Hopkirk]

These companies buy address lists, so if the list contained an error several companies might get it at the same time. Contacting those companies probably would have no effect.

[Maydup]

I am being wary gness, in fact wary will turn to worry if we have much more, but what can I do about it?

So far I have returned to sender or shredded it. I will return to sender now on anything I get just in case it helps reduce it, but I cant think there is much else I can do?

[gness]

Photograph the envelope and return to sender, Maydup......and don't worry....
It most likely is a blip but if not it'll be sorted for you...if my daughter's experience is anything to go by.....happens lots I believe......x

[Islay]

If you are that worried get onto Experian and the other credit agencies pay £2 and get your credit report to see if there is anything strange going on.

[mikey4444]

If there is a return envelope included in any junk mail, use it to post their rubbish back to them, carefully removing anything relative to you.

Even better.....post Junk Mailer Company No1 with the contents of Junk Mailer No2 and vice-versa !

This won't cost you anything but it will cost them. If we all did this, then IMHO, junk mail would start to dry up !

[pixie374]

I always returned it with "not at this address" on it. That does stop it.