How to Stop Junk Mail and Credit Card Offers

Some companies sell consumer mailing lists to advertisers, so your address likely circulates among businesses many times over. That's why getting your name off mailing lists to stop junk mail and credit card offers may take significant effort. Magazine subscriptions, club memberships and phone book listings can trigger a company mailing of information you don't want. Therefore, you need to use several sources to stop junk mail and credit card offers.

Instructions

1

Prevent credit card and insurance companies from using information in your credit reports to send you prescreened offers to open new accounts. Use the Opt Out Services website managed by the credit-reporting companies Equifax, Experian and TransUnion to stop such offers. Submit your name and address through the site's online form to cut off the solicitations for five years. Stop the offers permanently by filling out and mailing the Permanent Opt-Out Election form to the address provided.

2

Add your name and address to the Direct Marketing Association's online list of marketers to have your contact information deleted from their mailing lists. Submit your information by filling out the mail service form on the DMA website. Expect to stop receiving junk mail from many big companies for five years after you submit the form. Bear in mind that you will continue to receive junk mail from some smaller companies and organizations that aren't on the DMA marketing lists.

3

Look for a customer service number on any junk mail and credit card offers you continue to receive after you place your name on the DMA list. Call that number to get your contact information taken off the mailing list. Ask the customer service representative you speak with to give you the name and phone number of the company that provided your name for his company's mailing list. If you get the information, call that company and get your information removed from that mailing list as well.

4

Contact all companies that you choose to receive mail from, and tell them not to supply your name and address to other companies. Look over any forms you fill out for magazine subscriptions, catalogs and other items and accept offers you find to opt out of having your name shared with other companies. Consider getting an unlisted phone number to keep your address out of phone books and away from advertisers who use phone books to compile customer lists. Ensure that any private organizations where you maintain memberships don't circulate your contact information.