How To Stop Receiving Junk Mail & Pre-Approved Credit Offers (the easiest way possible)

Sick of getting all of that junk mail??  I know I am.  Pre-screenings and pre-approvals for credit cards and loans fill my mailbox and annoy me on almost a daily basis.   These companies waste tons and tons of paper sending out stupid pre-screening offers that mostly no one wants to receive anyway.  I don’t!  I end up just ripping them up and throwing them all out (recycling! of course).  It’s a waste of time, money (for those companies), and valuable resources. 

But once you’re caught up in receiving this junk, it’s hard to get out.  Well, I finally decided to take some steps to eliminate (or at least reduce) the amount of annoying junk mail that I receive, and here’s how:

1.  I called: 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688).  This number is the toll-free “opt-out” number for the consumer reporting agencies (the 3 credit bureaus) where many companies offering credit obtain their lists of people who meet specific criteria via credit reports.  Call this number to be removed from the list for either 5 years or a lifetime (you get to choose), and you can even call the same number if and when you decide you want to receive these offers again.  By calling, you won’t speak to a human being, but the phone call takes no more than 5 minutes (just verify some information and you’re all set).

2.  I went to: CatalogChoice.org.  This website offers a free service, where you can look up specific companies by doing a quick search on the website and it’ll specifically tell you how to go about getting your name off that specific company’s list.  Sometimes, you’ll be able to do it right from the website. If not, CatalogChoice will give you a phone number or web-address to call/visit to get your name removed ASAP.  This website lists a ton of companies that you can get your name removed from — including those catalogs that you never requested in the first place!

(DMAChoice.org is another website similar to CatalogChoice,  I just haven’t used that one yet.  Hopefully, I won’t need to.  But you can use one or both of these websites, either one should work fine).

  1. malleable-reality posted this