Post #1284788

2026-03-22 15:50 UTC

Thank you for this. I am glad to hear you had success! I do most of those, but not so far number 4. I don't know about utilities though. I believe that my current power company sells their customer lists, because I get junk mail at a misspelling of my name on file with them. Did you have any trouble with moving companies? I didn't move since the "surveillance economy". It is hard for me to imagine moving companies wouldn't capitalize on selling your new address where they had to deliver. I have also heard that it is better not to file a change of address form with the post office. Instead to change the address on file with your charge card companies or banks directly.

Replies (1)

@nottelling@lemmy.world 2026-03-22 16:13

Check with your utilities, there's often an opt-out option for the information sales. I've always moved myself, but I'd just find a locally owned moving company willing to deal in cash. It's good advice for most stuff. avoid online forms, and there are a lot of instances where you can just use false info. The only reason to change your address with the PO is forwarding. if you're worried about missing mail, you should change it. Then go to the DMA Choice site and opt out with your new information. Update your actual business info with each company. I use an app called PaperKarma to aromatically opt me out of junk mail that comes through. they do a reasonably good job, but they're a subscription service, so I save up the junk, pay on sub cycle, process the opt outs and then cancel. I forgot to mention, I also pay for a masking service for masked emails and phone numbers. The free burner options tend to be blocked these days. What this takes is just diligence and patience. There's also some misinformation in this thread: > Banks, utilities, even government and health agencies sell your personal data without your knowledge and to any single one of them your home address isn't necessarily "protected or sensitive" information. Partially false. These industries, *especially* government and healthcare are regulated and can only sell a certain subset of your data, mostly anonymized, if at all. I work in the government IT sector, and PII is *serious*, even under the current trump nightmare.

Open ##1284789