Would you like to know how to stop junk mail? Are you tired of receiving credit offers.? Here is a list of proven methods to reduce or eliminate unwanted junk mail from being delivered to your home.
I was inspired to do the research and write this post after frustrations from receiving so very much unwanted mail. Some days we just toss all of the mail straight into the garbage bin. I don’t know about you but we never even open those offers. I really don’t even want to receive them!
A Free Printable version of this information is available at the end of this post.
Credit or Insurance Offers
OptOutPrescreen.com
“OptOutPrescreen.com is a centralized service to accept and process requests from consumers to “Opt-In” or “Opt-Out” of firm offers of credit or insurance. OptOutPrescreen.com is a joint venture among Equifax Information Services, LLC, Experian Information Solutions, Inc., Innovis Data Solutions, Inc., and TransUnion, LLC (collectively the “Consumer Credit Reporting Companies”). “
You will be able to Opt In or Opt Out for 5 years or for life through OptOutPrescreen.com.
There is a link at the bottom of the page which will allow you to complete the process in a matter of minutes for the 5 year Opt Out choice. If your preference is to be excluded from receiving such offers for life, you will need to follow the instructions on the website which includes sending your signed request through the mail.
If you have previously opted out but now would like to receive these offers, then you will complete the process to Opt In.
The Federal Trade Commission can help with those Credit and Insurance Offers also
More information is available on the website for the FTC here to either Opt Out for 5 years or permanently of all prescreen offers of credit and insurance.
Credit Offers, Catalogs, Magazine and Other Mail Offers
dmachoice.org
“Every year, DMA handles more than 15,000 complaints from consumers who are receiving unwanted mail from marketers.” (source)
dmachoice.org divides direct mail into 4 catagories: Credit Offers, Catalogs, Magazine Offers and Other Mail Offers. You will be able to stop mail from any or all categories on this site.
This site does require free registration. However, they claim to have over 3,600 members from the Direct Mail Marketing industry who review their Opt Out list once every 3 months when it is updated. If you do not want to register online, no problem, you can download a PDF to fill out and mail in along with $1 for processing.
E-Mail Opt Out
dmachoice.org also has a page for email Opt Out. Be sure to visit it while you are there.
Register the Deceased
My brother passed away more than 10 years ago. I receive mail at my home in his name even now. He never lived at my home! Are you frustrated by this kind of mail too? I have registered the names of both my parents and my brother on this list just recently.
Register the name of a deceased person at dmachoice.org. It will take 3 months to slow down the amount of mail arriving in the name of your deceased loved one.
Do Not Call List
Want to stop those annoying telemarketers? The Do Not Call Registry can be found at donotcall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222 from the phone number you want to register. Registration is completely FREE for both home and cell phone numbers.
Stop Delivery of the Yellow Pages Book
I remember the ‘old days’ before the explosion of the internet when we always looked forward to the new phone book each year. Now, I cannot even tell you when the last time was that I picked up a phone book. If you are still receiving an annual copy and would like to be able to opt out, go here to the Yellow Pages Goes Green website where you can quickly and easily register to opt out from receiving the phone book.
How To Stop Unwanted Mail and Phone Calls
This post was shared at these Link Parties: Creative Spark #20, Wake Up Wednesday #34, Thoughtful Thursday’s , The Southern Special 24, Party I Your PJ’s #21, Freedeom Friday with All My Bloggy Friends #46, Pretty Pintastic, Happiness Is Homemade #38, What’d You Do This Weekend #46, Mostly Homemade Mondays #98, Pintastic Pinteresting Party #45
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Jessica @ConveyAwareness says
Great reference list! Pinned and will be visiting these links above to register my name. Found you on Homegrown & Healthy’s linky. =)
Shirley Wood says
Thanks for stopping by Jessica. I’m glad you found the list helpful!
Trish says
These are some great tips. And something else so crazy is when those telemarketers call your cell phone and if they wait for your voice mail to pick then that goes towards your cell phone minutes. Those minutes add up. Thanks for sharing this at The Southern Special. Have a wonderful week.
Shirley Wood says
Trish, I’m so glad you found it helpful. I like the fact that you can add your cell phone number to the Do Not Call list.
Kristina and Millie says
I don’t see why they don’t leave us alone unless we opt in. so crazy. Thanks for sharing this info!!
Shirley Wood says
Now, you know how to make them stop 🙂
Sahana says
Very useful post Shirley !! I have never heard of that opt-out service, I am going to try that to stop the insurance mails.I get a lot of them. Thank you for sharing this info with us 🙂
Barb @ A Life in Balance says
Thanks for sharing all this information! I knew about the Do Not Call list, but not the others. The telemarketing calls drive us nuts!
I’m sharing this with my Facebook readers and pinning it.
Karen says
Thanks so much for all these great links! I only was aware of the Do Not Call List. Thanks for investigating and sharing this information with every1 🙂
Lorelai @ Life With Lorelai says
Thank you for this! I have been sitting here thinking that I need to call and register my phone number with the Do Not Call Registry, but I have not taken the time to look it up and handle it, You made it so easy for me. I’ve actually done it! 🙂 PINNED!!! Excellent post.
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
Kristin says
This information is great! Thank you so much. I only knew about the do not call list. Which we are on but never seems to fully get rid of anything. I am going on dmachoice tonight!
Shirley Wood says
Kristen, I am so glad you found it helpful! I thought if I needed this information, others would too!
Kristen from The Road to Domestication says
Thanks for sharing all of this research with us, Shirley! We are on the “Do Not Call” list, but we still get calls 🙁 Not as MANY, though, so I’ll take it!
Heather @ Divas Run for BLing says
Thanks so much for sharing this! I knew of about the do not call list but did not know about these other options. They will be soooo helpful
Shirley Wood says
Heather, you are most welcome! Now maybe I can keep up with this information myself! I thought the printable would make it easier for folks.
Alli says
It’s great to see all the opt out sources in one place! I think it’s been more than 5 years since I opted out of receiving those annoying phone calls right in the middle of dinner. It’s got to the point that when the caller ID shows up on the TV screen and it’s a toll free number, I just say no and refuse to pick up the phone.
Also, I made a mistake donating to a political cause and OMG, I get calls constantly from them begging for money.
Shirley Wood says
Alli, we do the same thing! It apparently has been more than 5 years since we opted out too! The thing that affected my decision the most about doing this post was receiving mail for my deceased family. We get mail for my brother who passed away in 1999 and NEVER even lived at our home. I thought this post would be useful information for most folks.
Jenna @ A Savory Feast says
This is so helpful! I get credit card and insurance offers just about every day! Does opting out do anything to affect trying to get a credit card on your own?
Paris (My Big Fat Happy Life) says
Thank you for these tips! I hate the amount of junk mail we receive.