I recently recieved an ad from a newpaper in Santa Ana California for Berry Trim Plus. At the top of it there was a hand written message that used my name. I was wondering is this normal for the company or promoters of this product to do such a thing. I am curious because I do not know anyone from Santa Ana and I do not need a weight loss program. If you have any ifo I'd appreciate a response Thanx

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ram:
[B]I recently recieved an ad from a newpaper in Santa Ana California for Berry Trim Plus. At the top of it there was a hand written message that used my name. I was wondering is this normal for the company or promoters of this product to do such a thing.

I used to get tons of e-mail from them promoting it. Every time I tried to reply it always came back as undeliverable. If your name is in the phone book it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out how they got it. I called the company and complained about it. I haven't gotten any more e-mails. Nobody ever got fat without spending money, so why do people think they can lose weight without spending money? Eating healthier costs more then eating junk food and when the average american spends almost $60 on junk food a week, it isn't a wonder there isn't a fat epidemic.

ram I'm not sure if I ever received anything specifically from Berry Trim but I have gotten hand addressed advertisements. I wonder if the have computers that can simulate handwriting or do they hire actual people? And my mom even got a photocopy of an article about a diet program with a hand written note at the top in the mail. It used her first name (listed in telephone book) and just said they saw this in the paper and thought she would be interested. Very slick.

nothingworks actually I have to disagree with you. I don't think you have to spend any extra money at all to lose weight. The formula is less calories (therefore less money) + more exercise (lots of free options here) = weight loss. Now that my family is trying to eat healthier we routinely spend less at the grocery stores and restaurants. Healthy and fresh foods are generally cheaper than processed foods.



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Mony
179/165/135
valentines day goal - 164


Progress not Perfection

This is amazing!! I say this because, about 6 years ago, my friend Caroline recieved in the mail a newspaper clipping with her name written on it in ink about some weighloss plan in Calif. We are in Kansas, and we only knew of 1 person in Calif. that we both knew, but oddly enough this person did NOT know Caroline's new address! We had been trying to figure out who sent it for 6 years. After reading your post, it all made sense. It had to be from a company who got ahold of her addy somehow. She was listed in the phone book, I am not, so that also tells us why she got one and I didn't. Wow. This is creepy.

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"A dollar for your thoughts" ~Marilyn Monroe

I had something like that happen to me, except it was a real newspaper looking clipping with the handwritten note. However, my name and number are unlisted. I think they got my info from the internet somehow.
andrea

It never ceases to amaze me how these telemarketers and others are somehow able to get info!

For instance, I haven't been a WW member in years - at least three years past -- and even though I've since remarried, moved, changed my last name, they still send me those mailings saying "WE WANT YOU BACK!". Whoever runs the mailing department at WW ought to go into the high-school reunion alumni finder business!

Incidentally, those mailings that look like newspaper clippings with a handwritten post it note stuck to them have been around for years, and not just for diet products either. One place I worked at a few years back, about 20 people got a similar ad for a business seminar. My then-boss was wondering who the heck this anoymous person (signed with a "J.") was who sent him this - then found out in the copy room that "J." knew a lot of people at my work!

MrsJim

The "real" newspaper article is computer generated with a program, as the the "inked" hand written notes. Companies purchase mailing lists from all sorts of places including your credit card companies and utility companies.

My best friend (how has always been and will probably always be a size 3-4) got alot of these diet miracles because she got alot of fitness magazines.

I've heard about a lot of companies that are using the hand addressed notes as part of their ploy. Far too many people will fall for it. I wish there were tighter restrictions within the FTC to prevent companies from using such tactics.

On a side note, Berry Trim and similar companies have tried repeatedly to advertise on our site but we've rejected them every time. You'd think the companies would realize by this point that we are all for healthy weightloss via diet and exercise.

Your name is sold every day. If you have "points" cards for stores/gas stations, video rental cards (Blockbuster is the worst!) have EVER subscribed to ANYTHING (cable, hydro, magazines, etc) - your name has been sold.

Sad, but true.

It's fairly simple to reach anyone these days. The companies use a computer to generate all phone numbers in order 000-0001, 000-0002, etc. Then they use a reverse directory to get names and addresses. Then they cross-reference those names with preferences such as health and fitness magazines, vitamin purchases through a catalog, plus-size clothing, etc., even pet supplies. This whole process takes very little time with very few people unreachable. The messages that look like handwriting are also from a computer. So nearly everyone is a potential victim - be careful!!! Carleen....

Just a giggle -- reading that last post reminded me of an old episode of "The Simpsons" where Homer finds an old autodialer and uses it to drive the whole town nuts!!!

The White House also uses an autosigner to sign all those form letters 'from the President' as well.

Just more useless trivia...

MrsJim
265/155/145