Tracking junk mail

I am a periodicals whore. You can look at my magazine stack in my right sidebar to see the list of publications I read. And those are just the ones I subscribe to. Doesn't count the ones I read online or the newspapers I peruse.

But every rose has its thorn and magazines are no different. With subscriptions comes lots and lots of unwanted junk mail. Of course, you never know who's to blame when the junk mail comes in, or do you?

A writer at Apartment Therapy tracks who's selling her info to whom by using certain distinguishing names in front of her real name. Like "professor" or "ambassador" or "lady." When credit card offers or catalogues show up at her door with the corresponding qualifier, she knows who's responsible.

Now, I don't know if this information is useful. You can try calling your magazine and asking them to cease and desist on passing your info out. I've never tried this, so I don't know if it works. It's probably best to tell them on the front end when you subscribe not to sell your info before the damage is done.

Here's a good website that suggests tons of ways to stop unwanted mail. Completing this list would take forever, but if there's a specific source that's a problem it might help you determine the easiest way to make it stop. Also try opting out at this website and this one.

Does anyone have any other suggestions?