Advertising by mail or by telephone

"Free chance for Mrs de Jong" and "Free lottery ticket for Mr Duman"

Everyone regularly receives one of those letters with lots of bright colours, large lettering and big numbers ."Congratulations!! You've won 100.000 euros!!" I don't understand. Is it true? Have I really won money? My name is mentioned in the letter. How do they know my name? Lotteries and advertising agencies try to seduce people to buy their products. They use different methods. Brochures in the letterbox, letters with your name in it, telephone calls.

Advertising material with your name and address on it.

Advertising agencies can buy addresses from "address companies". These addresses are entered into the computer at the printer's. Letters and envelopes are printed and posted.
You'd be wise to read these letters to your address carefully. The texts in large print do not tell the truth!
On a note you may read: Activate your lottery ticket. You have to fill in your bank account number and your signature. The small print says that you authorise the company to debit an amount from your account every week/month.
Never put your signature unless you know for sure what it really is about. Not even when people who you don't know tell you very kindly that it's ok. It has caused many problems. First ask information from family, friends, social counsellors at Alert, spreekuur Vluchtelingenwerk.

Con men

It also happens that criminal people send letters, they are con men or swindlers.
Some time ago someone received a 'serious' letter, with ordinary lettering, her name on it, no colouring, no photos. The letter was from Spain. The woman had won a lot of money, she was told in the letter. 25,000 euros, no kidding! So would she please give her bank account number? The woman became very confused, Could it be true? The money would be so very welcome. Vluchtelingenwerk went to the consumer's organisation for information. The sender was known to them: a con man. This kind of mail from abroad is always a fraud, says the consumer's organisation.

Advertising by Telephone

The telephone rings. "Good afternoon Mr Bahat, can I talk to you for a minute?"
Someone who knows my name, I'm getting curious, who's that calling?
"Can I ask you a question?"
This is how telephone advertising often begins. The man or woman who is calling has been trained to "hold on to people" on the telephone. That is why it is difficult not to enter into a conversation with them. Of course they want to sell us something. They have a special offer, they want to send us something, et cetera. This method of selling is called telemarketing.

Info filter

Through marketing company DSMA addressed advertising mail and/or marketing phone calls can be blocked, for five years. This is done with a so-called Info filter. Via a computerised telephone you are offered three possibilities. You must give your name and telephone number.
Infofilter, tel. 0900-6661000 (25 cents per minute) or internet web site www.infofilter.nl