Junk Mail Magic

Check a catalog that returns under a new label

After a request, a catalog may show up with a different brand name, return address, or customer code. Comparing the new label with the one you first submitted tells you whether you are dealing with the same mailer.

By Junk Mail Magic. Updated .

How to compare the labels

  1. Find the photo or copy you kept from your original request. Note the sender name, return address, and any customer or source code on that label.
  2. Read the same fields on the new catalog: the company name on the cover or back panel, the return address, and any code near your name and address.
  3. If the sender name or return address differs, photograph the new label and submit it through Junk Mail Magic as its own request.
  4. If only a code changed, contact the sender and ask whether the new piece came from a different mailing list.

When the label changes but the company may not have

Some mailers print a campaign code, a seasonal source code, or a partner's name that changes from one mailing to the next. A new code alone does not show a separate sender. A different return address or legal company name is a stronger sign of one. If you are unsure, ask the sender before submitting again.

Keep both labels

Save photos or written notes of the old and new labels together. If you contact the sender, include both codes in one message so they can see what changed.

Instructions for the next step

Follow up when a sender says it does not own the listHandle a household opt-out that missed one personWhen mail keeps arrivingAll practical mail guides

Have an unwanted advertisement ready?

Photograph one piece you are authorized to handle, with the sender and full mailing label visible. Review the details before submitting. The first request is free; the sender controls the response.

Try one request free