A few months ago I registered for a pretty popular wedding-related website and ever since, my apartment’s mailbox has been overflowing with vendor pitches. Thanks a ton, The [redacted]. That’s why I’m so happy to have come across new app PaperKarma for iPhone and iPod Touch.
Snap a photo of any irritating junk mail and PaperKarma will take it upon itself to get your address off the mailing list ASAP. PaperKarma says it doesn’t do very well handling junk mail sent in zip code batches, but if your name is on a catalog or other mailing list the service has had good results in removing your name. To use PaperKarma you’ll need to log-in via Facebook or register for an account. You’ll need to provide the names of those in your household and a phone number, which some companies require to remove you from their database. You’ll also need to enter your address, or you can have the app automatically locate you (PaperKarma’s guess was close enough).
After you’ve provided the requisite information, you simply take a photo of the unwanted post and submit it to the app. Since PaperKarma already has your address on file, it’s best to take an image that clearly shows who the item is from. PaperKarma will take care of the rest.
You can refer back to PaperKarma to see how the unsubscribe process is going, or to see if you’ve already requested removal from a particular company. Of course, it’s up to the individual companies to abide by PaperKarma’s requests but there’s no harm in giving the app a try. The service is free.
