How to Stop Unsolicited Magazine Subscriptions

It isn't easy to stop unsolicited magazine subscriptions.

Although they aren't as frustrating as unsolicited phone calls, unsolicited magazine subscriptions can be pretty annoying. They're a waste of paper, take up space, and require additional energy on your part for their disposal. It's difficult to stop unsolicited magazine subscriptions, as local and federal governments have not yet instituted laws that protect unwilling recipients. Stopping these magazines from coming might take implementing some creative solutions; if those don't work, you can always use the magazines for bathroom reading, lining the litter box or lighting the pilot light.

Instructions

1. Contact the company directly. Look in the inside front or back cover of the magazine for the publisher's and/or distributor's contact information. Use all the mediums listed; if the company lists their phone number, address and website, call them, send a letter and send an email with your current name and address asking to be removed from their mailing list. Ask for a response confirming you have been removed.

2. Contact the Direct Marketing Association's (DMA) Mail Preference Service (MPS) and request to be taken off of as many nation-wide mailing lists as possible. You can either send a written request to their mailing address or send a request online. The website address is: https://www.dmachoice.org/dma/member/regist.action. The written address is:

   Direct Marketing Association

   PO Box 643

   Carmel, NY 10512

   The registration fee for this service is $1, payable by check, money order or debit/ credit card (online).

3. Be proactive. Typically solicitors get your mailing address through online credit card transactions. When you process transactions online, only share your addresses with secure websites you trust. Most online transactions have a small box that say something like "yes, please share my information with other companies that have products or offers that interest me," and typically this box is automatically checked. Take the time to un-check these boxes when processing online transactions to eliminate unsolicited emails, phone calls and magazines.

4. Don't leave a paper trail. If you move and fill out a change of address card with the post office, companies can easily find out your new address, as it is public information. Instead of filling out a change of address card, contact your friends, family members and bill-payment centers directly to inform them of your changed address.

5. Use misdirection. If you find you keep getting unsolicited magazines even after you've requested they stop, call, email and/or write the company a letter stating your address has been changed and you'd like the magazines to come to your new address. Then, submit a fake address.

References

• Privacy Rights Clearinghouse: Junk Mail