Examines promotional mailings, particularly sweepstakes, that flood mailboxes with more than a billion pieces of mail/year. Examines the nature and the impact of sweepstakes run by: Amer. Family Enter., Pub. Clearing House, Time Inc., and Reader's Digest. No evidence has been uncovered that the sweepstakes are fraudulent; however, the legitimate sweepstakes co's. use deceptive and aggressive marketing techniques. Examines unfair practices that deceive consumers into making excessive, unneeded purchases. Examines how laws can be changed to make sweepstakes less deceptive and how the co's. could be more honest with consumers.