Long Term Care Solicitation

[JacobAnn]

I get so much "junk" from postal mail, email, phone calls, texts etc, I guess one more piece won't make much difference.  And if CAP makes a buck from the piece I'm shredding or throwing in the recycle, I would feel better about that piece than most I receive.  I always wonder about the "no call" lists.  I'm on and faithfully renew the state and federal no call lists yet those calls still get through.

[NIN]

Reminds me that I need to change my address...

[JeffDG]

Reminds me that I need to change my address...

And the idea of putting in "fake" addresses into eServices is a sad consequence of this kind of behaviour by NHQ.

I know that I'm working on a project to model likely response times for disaster scenarios, and if people have fake addresses in their profiles, I get bad data out of that part of things (I can plug a start and end address into a Google API and get a drive-time).

Now, don't get me wrong...the idea of putting in a fake address until just before renewal time is tempting...and I don't begrudge people who do it, I really don't...but NHQ should not be incentivizing people to do that.

[SunDog]

Not advocating nothin' but just saying, dithering your DOB might not be a bad idea, either. . .can always claim a inadvertant fat-finger input, if you're called out on it.

[JeffDG]

Not advocating nothin' but just saying, dithering your DOB might not be a bad idea, either. . .can always claim a inadvertant fat-finger input, if you're called out on it.

Most of the data that comes out of NHQ obfuscates your birthdate anyway...I'm sure that people have access to the real data somewhere, but if you look in CAPWATCH, you will see that everyone was born on the 1st day of the month.

[LSThiker]

Or instead of fake addresses, just take the 2 seconds to open the letter, read the first line, and then throw it into the recycling.  If it includes an envelope that has paid postage for returns, mail your junk mail back to them at their cost. 

The real issue here is, who is spending the money to send out the mailings?  NHQ or the company?

[NIN]

By the way, I was not advocating that people fake their address. I recently moved, and I remembered because of this thread that I need to change my address with CAP

[JeffDG]

By the way, I was not advocating that people fake their address. I recently moved, and I remembered because of this thread that I need to change my address with CAP

Ahhh...others have (don't remember who) advocated putting in a fake address until right before renewal time, then putting the real one in for a couple weeks...

[SunDog]

Not advocating nothin' but just saying, dithering your DOB might not be a bad idea, either. . .can always claim a inadvertant fat-finger input, if you're called out on it.

Most of the data that comes out of NHQ obfuscates your birthdate anyway...I'm sure that people have access to the real data somewhere, but if you look in CAPWATCH, you will see that everyone was born on the 1st day of the month.

I'm not worried about NHQ putting the DOB out there on purpose; I give them more credit than that.  I'm just not confident it's protected from bad actors when at rest.  MER had a breach, or perhaps more accurately, an inadvertant exposure a few years back.  Pretty much impossible to get an answer from them on follow-up, etc. Somebody left a backup media somewhere, or lost it, or something.

If you press it with WMIRS, you can use something other than SSN with them, too, or at least you could a while back.

[raivo]

I get so much "junk" from postal mail, email, phone calls, texts etc, I guess one more piece won't make much difference.  And if CAP makes a buck from the piece I'm shredding or throwing in the recycle, I would feel better about that piece than most I receive.

I feel the opposite way... most of the junk mail I get is from organizations I have no prior relationship with (Domino's excepted...) who are just shotgunning mailers in hopes of getting business (and, I might add, doing so on their own dime.)

It's much more aggravating to me if a professional organization that I pay to be a member of is trying to make a quick buck by selling my personal information to businesses I have no interest in.

[rustyjeeper]

I have no way to know "for sure", but...

The return address has the CAP logo and Maxwell's return address.

It was addressed to me personally including my CAP Grade.

It has the CAP logo on the top of the sheet.

Signed by Don Rowland.

So either CAP rented my name, or their system is compromised.

I've also confirmed I am opted out of 3rd party solicitation.

They also solicit EX MEMBERS like myself....
and I am officially in the "EX" club since February!

[RiverAux]

Gen. Carr's new blog on this:

hird-party benefits and you
Posted by Dan Bailey | May 22, 2014 | 0 Comments

Several members have contacted me recently to express concern about 3rd-party mail. I want to be sure everyone understands the process and, most importantly, your ability to opt out of 3rd-party mail.

Third-party vendors are provided member mailing addresses and are contracted for only one mailing per vendor. These vendors offer CAP members various benefits, such as long-term health care insurance, automobile insurance, and even hotel discounts. These benefits are listed on our social media sites at www.capmembers.com.

CAP receives annual profits from these vendors. The funds are based on a percentage of sales, and a significant portion of the royalties is used to support CAP's regional cadet programs.

If you do not wish to receive 3rd-party mail, go to eServices and "opt out." Opting out applies only to 3rd-party vendor mail; you will continue to receive correspondence from National Headquarters!

If you have a question about any of these member benefits, your point of contact is Skip Dotherow, CAP's Director of Development, at 334-953-774, extension 225, or you can email him at jdotherow@capnhq.gov.

You are also welcome to contact me as well via the "Ask the Commander" option on eServices.

[RiverAux]

Just got a solicitation for long term care insurance through the Coast Guard Auxiliary Association....

[Eclipse]

So since these were sent on behalf of the 3rd party, by and from NHQ, there is no way to opt out.

[a2capt]

If they want to blow coin and send me stuff that I'm just going to drop in the bin.. let 'em.

It's not like the chances of it coming on a day that something else isn't going in there anyway.

[LSThiker]

So since these were sent on behalf of the 3rd party, by and from NHQ, there is no way to opt out.

I have yet to receive any 3rd party advertisements.  I receive the renewal letters and other required items, but no 3rd party items yet.

[SarDragon]

The process here appears to be different from the one I described above.

So since these were sent on behalf of the 3rd party, by and from NHQ, there is no way to opt out.

That's exactly backwards from what Gen. Carr said.

Third-party vendors are provided member mailing addresses and are contracted for only one mailing per vendor.

The vendor does the mailing - provide the material and envelopes, pay the postage, and take care of the administrative aspects, either directly or hired out to other folks who specialize in the various tasks. And, they pay CAP for the privilege of doing so.

It's essentially free money for us, although I'm a little less comfortable about releasing the mailing list directly to a vendor, instead of just a mailing house.