Junk Faxes

Ron Eggers

SPFG, Supreme Picture Framing God
Forum Donor
Joined
Jul 6, 2001
Posts
16,932
Loc
Wisconsin
I'm getting enough unsolicited faxes on my stand-alone fax machine (fax spam, if you will) that I am becoming annoyed over the waste of paper and ink.

Nearly all of them are ads for "investment opportunities" or "travel opportunities." Apparently, opportunity no longer knocks - it arrives by fax.

Naturally, none of these faxes have "return fax" numbers on their headers, but they DO come with an itty-bitty notice that will say something like, "To no longer receive these requested* promotions in the future, please contact us at 1-866-270-6027." Yes, that's one of the real numbers. Call 'em up if you want.

*I have to wonder who requested these promotions - Dogzilla?

I am reluctant to call these numbers and verify my actual existence, but does anyone remember the keypad characters that will call back the number for the last call received? I figure I could use that and send them each a fax that says, "Hey, don't send me anymore faxes!"

I could send each of them 10-15 of them.

I don't want to just shut off the fax machine 'cause I do receive the occasional industry-specific fax, at a rate of maybe one-out-of-ten.

That reminds me of the story about the guy going to a hotel desk to inquire about sending a fax. When informed that the first page would be $15 and each additional page would be 75 cents, he told them to just skip the first page.
 
I agree with the junk
fire.gif
faxes.

I have a solution to the problem of sorts. I use my computer and now use it as a fax machine via the built in program from Windows XP. I set it up at "1 ring". I also have no paper in my free standing fax.

A signal at the bottom of the computer screen tells me when there is a fax. I can close the notice or click it and review the fax and then delete it without using any paper.

Another advantage is that faxes that I do want to print come out cleaner that with my old thermal paper fax.
 
You can also send faxes via a computer. How do you think you are receiving those junk ones. Set your printer function with the fax as an optional printer. Simply write a do not bother me notice and print 999 copies via the fax printer and then press the send button. If long distance use your cell phone with free evening and weekend calling.

thumbsup.gif


sweet revenge :D
 
I called the "removal" numbers listed on the last three junk faxes I received - all for travel promotions.

Though I dialed three different toll-free numbers, I got the same recording in each case inviting me to have my fax number removed from their database (within 24 hours) by keying in my fax number followed by the pound sign.

I'll track these and, if I continue to get faxes from the same companies, I'll contact the FCC or unleash the Hounds of ****, depending on my mood at the time.
 
I don’t have a stand-alone fax; I send and received through my computer.

I don’t get too many “spam” faxes like Ron describes, but the really annoying thing to me is that telemarketers try to call me on the fax line, which when it senses a call, puts whatever I am working on in the background, so I have to wait until the fax receive hangs up.

Of course, the sender has the caller ID blocked, so, other than wishing them sores and pustules, I have no recourse but to put up with it.
 
So you can send me travel offers to sunny Roseville?

The last time I tried to drive into Minnesota, they stopped me at the border and asked me if I love the Vikings. I couldn't lie (couldn't stop laughing, actually), so I turned around and came home.

920 731-9893

Let me know when you'll be sending me a fax so I can make sure there's plenty of paper loaded.

The fax machine shares a line with my modem so, oddly-enough, I don't get many faxes when I'm in the shop. They come in while I'm away.

BTW, I do not accept collect faxes.

[ 08-13-2004, 05:40 PM: Message edited by: Ron Eggers ]
 
If you do get the number Ron, try a "fax fan belt"

With a manual fax machine tape 3-4 sheets together, write your message across it and fax it. As the leading edge comes out the bottom bring it around to the top and tape it together and away it goes, the never-ending fax...
 
I'm guessing the sender's fax number isn't going to be toll-free, so, even at 7 cents/call, I don't wanna be sending 3-4,000 faxes.

I like the way you think, though.
 
it's one call-one fax- 8.5"X as long as the recipient has paper and/or memory.

"Do not bend, fold, spindle or mutilate" unless you want to get thier attention...
 
Ah.

Maybe I'll send them a complete print-out of the FACTS standards.

Or possibly the U.S. Navy Manual of Diving Physiology.
 
I've done the "Fax fan belt" thing before, which worked in the 80's when machines used a roll of continuous thermal paper. The new machines generally use 8 1/2 x 11" paper and will automatically "reduce" a long fax to fit on a single sheet.

I've found that they'll usually remove you if you call those 800 #s but just for a single offer mentioned on the ad. They just change the name of the offer and do it again. Most of these companies seem to share the same software or system with identical recordings, and no way to speak with a real person.

"Investment opportunities" "Travel Department" etc

These folks "Demon dial" (randomly try every number there is until they "hear" a fax) to get their mailing lists. I know this for a fact, because I've plugged faxes into unpublished numbers in the past and get the same calls.

Our very worst fax spammer was actually a PAPA JOHNS pizza location right down the street. They were faxing us their menu about 5 times per day, and ignored numerous requests to take us off the list. (for weeks or months). A call to the manager got us off the list (and a free pizza coupon), but only for a month. They still come in
We won't be buying pizza there any time soon.
 
What about the fax machines that are randomly calling a non-fax number, and then keep redialing every five minutes for hours?
fire.gif
Is there any way in this world to stop this???? I have a dedicated fax line (and I get all those travel/investment/etc faxes, too) but when they call on my main line over and over, it drives me crazy!!!Arrrggg!!
 
Sounds like y'all are missing some excellent opportunities to invest your money, and travel to exotic places, like Appleton, WI, or my favorite, Blanket, TX.

These people wouldn't be taking all the time to fax that stuff to you if they didn't have your best interests at heart!

To answer your question, Ron, depending on your Fone Co, you can dial *69. It will give you the last number that called your fax machine. Then you can press 1, and call the number back. But, you'll probably get a really big fax machine or computer that can beat up your fax machine.

Just invest your money and take a nice vacation! Who knows...before long, you could go visit the gravesite of your uncle in Nigeria!
 
Thanks, Charles.

I remembered *69 did something. I couldn't remember if it called back the last number received, blocked the caller ID or turned off call-waiting.

I wonder if *69 works with "private" or "blocked" calls where the sender has blocked the caller ID.

One of the junk faxes wanted me to fly to Orlando last week, so I suspect they're trying to kill me.
 
*69 does not work with "private" or "blocked" numbers. It uses the same technology as caller ID.
 
I was getting junk faxes as well for vavations and low interest mortgages. I called the removal number and it took about a week for the faxes to stop. Now I'm getting junk instant messages on my computer! Is there no end?

-Mike.
 
December 26, 2002 I came to work and had 5 junk faxes that had been received in the past 36 hours. We made a big management decision & turned the machine off!

Some months prior I had called every number daily to go through the process to get removed. Our FAX traffic went up considerably--perhaps even 3X.

Now, over a year and a half later, I will still get two or three junk faxes durring the occasional few hours the machine is on when I am waiting for the one solicited fax I've requested -- like a copy of an invoice or price list.

On the story angle -- At one time we were regularly getting internal memos from a large corporation--obviously a typo on their fax list. After weeks of faxing them notices of their error and then calling them about it, it would not stop.

Eventually, one day after I received a several page somewhat sensitive document from them I must have faxed them back 100 pages including their document, my ire, a notice that it was a good thing I wasn't their competitor and and something nuts like pages from a magazine, repeatedly. I never heard from them again.

Turning it off was a good solution for us. This way I don't have to go through another suspected spam list called the FAX machine on my computer.
 
Back
Top