How to Remove Your Name From Junk Mail & Credit Card Applications

Every day people are faced with mailboxes crammed full of junk mail and credit card applications. Due to the fact that the majority of this type of mail is unsolicited, most people either place the mail aside, never to be opened, or promptly dispose of it. Receiving unsolicited mail when you have no interest in any of the offers that are extended to you can be annoying and wasteful. Yet, there are steps you can take to remove your name from the lists that credit card solicitors and junk mailers use to contact you.

Instructions

1. Opt-out of receiving pre-screened offers of credit by calling or visiting the Web site for Opt-Out Pre-Screen listed in the "Resources" section of this article.

   Opt Out Pre Screen
   PO Box 600344
   Jacksonville, FL 32260
   [phone]
   optoutprescreen.com

2. Contact each of three credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion, to request that they limit the amount of your personal information they share with others.

   Experian
   Consumer Services Department
   901 West Bond
   Lincoln, NE 68521
   [phone]
   experian.com

   TransUnion
   Name Removal Option
   P.O. Box 505
   Woodlyn, PA 19094
   [phone]
   transunion.com

   Equifax, Inc.
   Options
   P.O. Box 740123
   Atlanta, GA 30374-0123
   [phone]
   equifax.com

3. Register with the Direct Marketing Association, listed in the "Resources" section of this article, and opt-out of receiving mailings from many national direct mail marketers for 5 years.

   Direct Marketing Association, Inc.
   1120 Avenue of the Americas
   New York, NY 10036-6700
   [phone], ext. 1500
   dmachoice.org

Tips & Warnings

• When opting-out for pre-screened credit card offers, you may be asked for personal information, including your social security number, in order to process your request.

• Registering with the Direct Marketing Association will only stop direct mailings from the marketing companies partnered with DMA. You will still receive unsolicited mailings from other companies that are not registered with DMA.

References

• FTC.gov: Unsolicited Mail, Telemarketing and Email: Where to Go to Just Say No

Resources

• Opt-Out Pre-Screen.com: Opt-in or Opt-out of firm offers of credit or insurance
• Direct Marketing Association.org
• Charity Guide.org: Remove Yourself From Junk Mail Lists