Tip Of The Day: Prevent Junk Mail From Your E-Mail Inbox

You may find your mailbox regularly stuffed full of junk mail like credit offers, sweepstakes entries, "special offers" from companies you've never heard of and catalogues you never requested. How do these companies find you?

You'd be surprised just how much information about you is available out there. Marketing companies regularly buy "lists" bearing the names and addresses of customers from various mail-order companies. They also compile lists from market survey forms, product registration cards, and use the names of customers of "affiliated" businesses.

So the more information you put out there, the more likely you'll be a target for junk mail, telemarketing calls, "spam" e-mail, and scams.

To reduce your information profile provide only necessary information on incentive, rebate and warranty registration forms. Don't answer marketing questions or include your phone number or e-mail address.

• Don't respond to "surveys" that require you to reveal personal informaiton or fill out a form. Marketers use that information to send you more junk plus con artist's use surveys as a way of getting your personal information so they can steal it.

• Never respond to e-mails or telephone calls asking you to provide or "confirm" personal or account information.

You can also remove your name from mailing lists sold by the three main credit bureaus for pre-approved credit card offers by calling: 1-888-5OPTOUT or 1-888-567-8688 rr go online to www.optoutprescreen.com.