How does the NRA get your name?

[hometheaterman]

My mother got a letter from the NRA. She has never signed up for anything even similar to the NRA and was asking me how they got it? She has purchased a gun before but never signed up for anything. She wondered if they knew she had purchased one so sent her a letter.

 

[22-rimfire]

Magazine subscriptions and catalog mailing lists are probably the most common I would guess. If she sent in the warranty card, that may well be the source.

I get their mailings and telephone calls often. Of course, I'm a member.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

I let my membership lapse and moved nearly 2,000 miles, and they still found my address to get me to renew. Perhaps I will soon, now that I am working again.

 

[garymc]

They had my name, place of employment, and home address. I asked them to delete the employment line, but they were never able to, so I didn't renew. 2 or 3 years later I was at a gun show and signed up. I get the same name, employment, and address thing on correspondence from them. The only 2 places I had used my home address and place of employment in combination was a Sam's card and an employer sponsored American Express card. So I refused to renew again.

 

[KarenTOC]

I once applied for a credit card. They misspelled my name, so I never used it. For years, I got junk mail from from a wide variety of businesses -- all with the same misspelling as on the unused credit card. Obviously, the credit card company had sold my name to anyone with a buck.

Your mother's landing on an NRA list probably has nothing to do with her old gun purchase. Some company she once dealt with sold her name and info to NRA either directly or indirectly.

 

[Hungry Seagull]

Junk mail took years to halt. But it had to start with halting unsoliticated offers from credit card companys. And halting any sweepstake entries (Those were the absolute worst) and further halting any warrantry entries.

We purchased a vehicle cash only and declined a warrantry, the thing was 4400 dollars to boot and the mailings, phone calls continue from that dealership. So far our maintiance has been a hell of alot less than the spamming warrantry and we are this close to telling them to cease and desist.

There are databases around the USA that organize people into files and sells that information freely to anyone who wishes to use it for mailings and such.

There is only one organization that is strong enough to find you and that is the Jehovah's Witness IMHO.

 

[hometheaterman]

My mother doesn't get much junk mail as she is very hesitant to sign up for stuff. That's why we thought this was odd. There is always some stuff you can't avoid though.

 

[Rembrandt]

Those that buy hunting and fishing licenses are also on lists that your state will sell at a price. Same with political party affiliations and voter registration lists, names on those are easily gotten.

 

[BCCL]

I know for a fact that Guns & Ammo sells their subscribers list to the NRA.

I once subscribed and they misspelled my name on the subscription label.

Within a month, I started getting "join the NRA" mailings to the misspelled name.

 

[Tommygunn]

I think they got mine from using a crystal ball

Seriously, i joined years ago so I gave them my name!!!

 

[Guns and more]

Whenever I buy something online from a catalog, I use a different middle initial, or prefix "Dr." or "Jr." or "lll". Then I wait to see how the junk mail floods in for "Dr".
Charities are notorious for selling your name.

 

[X-Rap]

BATF data base, they share stuff don't ya know.