Originally published November 3 2003
Only Fools Fill Out Warranty Registration Cards (Spam Cards)
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Every time I find a warranty registration card in a product box of something I've just purchased, I laugh out loud. These cards have been used by manufacturers for decades to gather the names and addresses of their customers. And that's fine, but far too many manufacturers turn around and sell your name and address to anyone willing to pay.
And they don't just sell it once, they sell it over and over again, to as many buyers as they can find.
Before the age of email, this created just more junk mail in your mailbox. And you didn't necessarily know where it came from unless you were sneaky enough to use a code name (instead of your real name) on each warranty registration card.
But now, with email in the mix, people are starting to receive email spam at the addresses they provided on those registration cards. In the article mentioned here, one user claims to be receiving spam from an email address he provided while registering his Palm handheld.
In reality, you don't even have to fill out those warranty registration cards to be protected by the manufacturer's warranty on the products you purchase. All you need is your original receipt. Federal law protects you through the Uniform Commercial Code, and most retailers give you a generous return policy to begin with.
That's why I say only fools fill our warranty registration cards. It's the practice of the uninformed. All you're doing is taking precious time out of your day to give that manufacturer or distributor a new lead that they can shop around to other buyers. You might as well wear a red flashing sign on your forehead that says, "I'm gullible!"
Most consumers fill out registration cards, though. Not because there's any good reason for it, but because they do what they're told. Or, put another way, most people are "highly suggestible" and since manufacturers tell people, "Your warranty won't be activated until you return this card," most people believe them.
Next time you see a warranty registration card, you'll probably laugh, too, just like I do.
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