One of the major reasons why as much as 60 percent of the mail we get is worthless to us - and why we tend to get more of it after major life events - is because government agencies at virtually all levels are selling your personal information to scores of direct marketers.

Per CBS4 in Denver:

Eric Meer is a small business owner who works out of his home in Denver's Stapleton neighborhood. Meer says he was deluged by direct mail after registering his small business with the Colorado Secretary of State. He says many of the ads he received were deceptive asking him to pay fees that he wasn't required to pay.