# Junk Faxes **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 17, 2000, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-faxes/7481 "2000-02-17T23:20:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PUNdit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3da27b/32.png) [@PUNdit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PUNdit)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2000, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-faxes/7481/1 "2000-02-17T23:20:00Z")
Three days in a row, I have received junk faxes at about 3pm local time. The first was for some bizarre weight loss formula, and the phone number to call was in the UK. The next was for cheap cruises. It had a toll free number to call if I didn’t wish to receive more faxes from them. I tried the number a couple of times but was on hold for \> 10 minutes and gave up. The third was an alert about missing children… asking if I had seen them. It too had a toll free number but I didn’t try it. My questions: 1. Aren’t junk faxes illegal? B. Is there some clearinghouse number I can call to put a stop to all of them? III. How the heck do they get my fax number? * * * “You can be smart or pleasant. For years I was smart. I recommend pleasant.” Elwood P. Dowd ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2000, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-faxes/7481/2 "2000-02-17T23:34:00Z")
I don’t have the answer, but I receive them _every singly day_. They are always for cruises or airplane tickets. I have never called for details but a few of the people I work with say they have and the offer seems genuine. Okay, I’ve seen 60 Minutes enough to know better, so let;s say somebody actually takes tha bait. What assurance does s/eh have that the deal is legit? My only suggestion was to get the name of the business and call up the BBB to see if they are registered. I’d love to take an eight day, seven night trip for two to Cancun for only $198… * * * Recent polls revealed that some people have never been polled, until recently. ---
**Author:** ![RomeDogg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d07c76/32.png) [@RomeDogg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RomeDogg)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2000, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-faxes/7481/3 "2000-02-17T23:42:00Z")
> [@](#): > > III. How the heck do they get my fax number? Well, I don’t know about your first 2 questions, but I think I know the last one. The companies get your fax number pretty much the same way junk mail gets your address, or in the same manner as a telemarketer gets your phone number. Some company you called, E-mailed or faxed, asked for you to include your fax number. With your heart full of innocence, you complied. Big mistake. Especially if it was an online form you filled out. For some reason, despite sites claims of privacy preferences or anything like that, it’s funny how just from the internet alone (not counting the regular aol spam) how much junk I get in my E-mail box. Also, I’ve gotten phone calls from telemarketers who got my name off an E-mail, even regular old snail mail, with my name misspelled and everything. To slow this a little, you might want to do what I do. I give these sites one of my useless hot mail style accounts e-mail address. That way if I get spammed, at least it doesn’t get in the way of my real mail. Also, I put my phone number down as a voice mail number I received free on the internet, but never remember to check. I hope that was a little useful. If not, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2000, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-faxes/7481/4 "2000-02-18T01:08:00Z")
Here’s a couple of links with some info on fighting them: [http://www.btanet.com/main/members/forum/gendis/messages/38.html](http://www.btanet.com/main/members/forum/gendis/messages/38.html) [http://www.antitelemarketer.com/spamsjunkfaxes.htm](http://www.antitelemarketer.com/spamsjunkfaxes.htm) One we get often inquires about your opinion on some hot-button issue (gun control, abortion, etc.) and gives two 900 numbers for you to call and "vote."Here’s a couple of links with some info on fighting them: [http://www.btanet.com/main/members/forum/gendis/messages/38.html](http://www.btanet.com/main/members/forum/gendis/messages/38.html) [http://www.antitelemarketer.com/spamsjunkfaxes.htm](http://www.antitelemarketer.com/spamsjunkfaxes.htm) We often get faxes asking about your opinion on some hot-button issue (gun control, abortion, etc.) and giving two 900 numbers for you to call and “vote.” ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2000, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-faxes/7481/5 "2000-02-18T01:09:00Z")
Gee, I think I found a new way to double post. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2000, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-faxes/7481/6 "2000-02-18T14:12:00Z")
Aren’t junk faxes illegal? * * * “What we have here is failure to communicate.” – Strother Martin, anticipating the Internet. [www.sff.net/people/rothman](http://www.sff.net/people/rothman) ---
**Author:** ![occ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2000, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/junk-faxes/7481/7 "2000-02-18T14:22:00Z")
I’m almost certain that unsolicited broadcast faxing is illegal. I remember reading something about former “Spam King” Sanford Wallace, and it said he first made a name for himself by spamming fax machines, but was shut down when it became illegal. Also, a question: do you people who get the junk faxes have toll-free fax numbers? Generally with businesses, the procedure is to have a fax number NOT be toll-free, to decrease the incentive for spammers.