Bad USPA. Bad.

[Jimbo 0]

From the DZO Incoming

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Mailing Lists Reinstated USPA once again offers member mailing lists for sale. There is a 500 name minimum order. Standard labels or electronic versions can be provided to a mail house for your use. For more information or an order form, contact Toni at 703-836-3495, ext. 310.

Does this make anyone else mad? If I wanted my name and address sold to the highest bidder I would do it myself. I realize that they're hurting for money, but this is going to far.
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Jim

[Sebazz1 2]

I could be wrong but I thought there was a square on the renewal form that specificaly asks if you wish to be on mailing lists or not. I think they are selling the list with just people that wanted to be on the list. I could be wrong but I think I'm right...........lol
Sebazz........

[Jimbo 0]

That may be, however I would have certainly checked a box that kept my private info private. I recently received a newsletter from another DZ that I have never been to. I wonder how they got my info.
I guess it's time to write the USPA and ask nicely to have my name removed from the list.
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Jim

[skybytch 273]

USPA has been doing that for as long as I've been jumping... how do you think ParaGear got your mailing address?
pull & flare,
lisa
"Try not. Do or do not. There is no try." - Yoda sez

[sitflyr 0]

You're right. I always opt not to be on the mailing lists when I renew.

[Jessica 0]

You know...I got a completely random e-mail from a completely random dz several states away about a boogie they were having...I wonder if they got my e-mail addy from USPA.
Regular junk mail I don't mind, but damn it, don't spam my inbox!

[mountainman 0]

Thanks for pointing this out! I just checked the box on my renewal. I'll be sending it in this week sometime. JumpinDuo.com...news, pictures, skydiving and links.

[Jimbo 0]

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USPA has been doing that for as long as I've been jumping...

Apparently they stopped for at least a little while since they've opted to reinstate it.
I have problems with people selling my info to a third party. Does the USPA have rules on who can purchase the list? Do they make the third party agree not to sell the list to someone else? I guess these questions will make it into my letter asking for removal from the list.
In case anyone else is interested in writing the USPA and asking to be removed from the mailing list you can probably send your letters to uspa@uspa.org I'm sure someone can route your letter to the appropriate department.
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Jim

[fasterfaller 0]

They might be trying to pay for the uspa building a little faster.

[jdfreefly 1]

You people need to chill out. Is it really that much of an inconvenience if you get one or two emails or a few extra pieces of mail?
If the mail gets out of hand, it is time to start bitching. Until then, find something else to bitch about.

[Jimbo 0]

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You people need to chill out. Is it really that much of an inconvenience if you get one or two emails or a few extra pieces of mail?

It's not about the inconvenience of getting an extra email or piece of snail mail. It's about an organization that I'm practically forced to join taking my personal information and selling it to the highest bidder. What controls exist to determine who gets to buy this info? Will the USPA only sell to skydiving related companies? What's to stop them from selling their member list to your life insurance company? What about the company that provides your medical insurance? More importantly, what controls are in place to prevent the companies buying these lists from selling them themselves?
I sent the USPA a letter asking them to remove me from the mailing lists, I also asked the questions I mentioned above.

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If the mail gets out of hand, it is time to start bitching. Until then, find something else to bitch about.

I don't wait until a problem is out of hand before taking corrective action. When I recognize a problem I take steps to fix it immediatly. But that's just me.
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Jim

[AndyMan 7]

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Apparently they stopped for at least a little while since they've opted to reinstate it.

Yup, and it really wasn't that bad when they were doing it.
For the most part, it means you get a para-gear catalog, and an invite from local DZ's to their special events.
I don't think I ever got anything that wasn't skydiving related.
_Am
ICQ: 5578907
MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com
AIM: andrewdmetcalfe
Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

[mattwhoo 0]

Well first of all let me put it this way Almost every single magazine in the world sells there mailing lists along with credit companies and just about any other company that keeps records. I worked for a company that sold mailing lists for a few years in there web deployment department. There is a ton of money to be made in junk mail. Basically there are a few large companies who will compile large lists from all the smaller companies. Or you have companies who sell specialized lists such as people who skydive. I don't care who send a letter to asking to be removed for this list or that list you will NEVER Stop getting junk mail. Now if you want a little idea of how mailing lists work when you buy a mailing list they are generally a one time use thing. If company A wants to send out a catalog to a bunch of skydivers then they would buy the list from a complier and do there mailing. Company A would no longer be able to use that list if they wanted to send out another catalog they would need to buy they rights to use that list again. The second way companies get lists is they are allowed to do as many mailing as they want for say a period of one year. The companies who buy these mailing lists are not really allowed to own the list they are just allowed to use it for mailing. Most mailing lists have Fake names in them that go to the company who provide the lists so they can tell if company A is only doing one mailing. You can also bet that 99% of the time the only thing looking at the lists is the computer. There really is a lot more that goes on then i can explain in this simple post but it kinda gives you a general idea of how they work if you go to http://www.listkey.com/ that is the site i helped build. On the left hand side if you click start my list you can actually pick the type of mailing list you want to choose from and then you can out in your criteria and in the end it will tell you how many people it found that match its kind of fun to go play with it. I suggest you choose the Consumer File Demo and see what kind of options companies have to choose from. the ones listed on the site are only a very small sample of the options that are available I think that the company who actually compiles that list has over 150 different search criteria available.
Matt
Providing ingenious solutions to all of your nonexistent problems! (For a fee)

[hanknotdan 0]

What control exists? The little box that says don't sell my information. It's on the application and it has been for some time. Read things before yopu sign them and include a check. In fact, I had to call and ask Paragear for a catalog because I am not on Paragear's mailing list anymore because I checked no on my application.
I am still with the previous poster. Stop bitching. You make a point of your efficiency in solving the problem. Check the box and move on.

[Jimbo 0]

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Read things before yopu sign them and include a check.

My renewal this year was done over the telephone, they lost the copy that I faxed them. I was not asked if they could include my name on a mailing list.
Perhaps I should have been.
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Jim