How to Get Off Mailing Lists
We've all had them--pre-approved credit card offers, sweepstakes and direct mailers. Your mailbox is probably full of them on a regular basis. It's easy to make sure that they stop. You have a few options, so try them all.
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Instructions
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Save all of the direct unsolicited mail that you receive for one month. Store it away, where you'll be able to find it when it's time to register for the Do Not Solicit lists.
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Log onto the DMA website. The Direct Marketing Association is made up of industry members who get together to act as a lobbying group. However, they also act as an industry watchdog, and can arrange to have your name removed from direct-mail lists.
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Navigate to the DMA Choice page. Click the "Register" button. You will need to enter your personal information, such as your name and address in order for this to work.
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Pull out the mail that you saved from the previous month. Look at the address label, and see what versions of your name they used on the mailer. When you're registering with the DMA, you have the option to enter alternate versions of your name. If you see they're spelling your name wrong consistently, enter that as an alternate.
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Choose the option you wish. After the registration, you can choose a number of options. You can choose to receive more or less catalogs, more of less direct mailings, or no mailings of any sort. You can do any combination of the first two. If you like getting catalogs, but hate pre-appoved credit card offers, choose the "more catalogs/opt out of other" options.
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Opt out of pre-approved credit offers specifically by visiting the opt-out prescreen website. This website is maintained and used by the three major credit bureaus to determine who does and does not want to receive such offers. You will have to input your social security number, name, address and phone number, but they already have all of that information on file for you, so you're not giving them something they don't already have. They simply use that to confirm your identity. You can only opt-out for five years electronically. If you want to opt-out permanently, you will have to print and complete the mail-in form.
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Tips & Warnings
Stopping e-mail offers is easy. Set up a spam filter. If you keep receiving mail from companies you don't want, you can send them a certified letter requesting them to stop, and informing them that you don't wish to receive offers from their subsidiaries or agents. That will stop them, and if it doesn't, you can sue and let them buy you something shiny.
This won't stop everything. Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous companies out there who don't pay attention to what you want. Print copies of your requests and date them. Be vigilant, and always make your requests in writing.
