How to stop annoying credit card offers

[Libra20]

I just watched a video about how over 480,000 tons (yes, that's the weight in tons of all those letters) of credit card offers are mailed to people every year! Here's a link for opting out of all that and saving some trees....

www.optoutprescreen.com

[AzAnne]

Thanks for the website. I'll have to check it out a bit more.

I recently contacted one of the credit places to find out how to stop all the offers and I wonder why they didn't direct me to the website.
They specifically told me that I had to request the removal in writing :confused:

[SusanMac]

I always thought there wasn't a specific, efficient way to reduce this b/c companies every day are checking our credit reports to send us more stuff.

I hate it so much! I didn't one that CapitalOne card the first 48 times you offered it.....and I still don't want it on the 49th offer! Argh

[SheRa]

i was about to sign up for this, but you have to enter your social security # on their website, and i'm just not comfortable with that. i called capital one (my credit card company) a while ago and asked them to stop sending me MORE offers. i have one card and i'm happy with it, but i don't want more offers. i told them it was a HUGE waste of paper, and they put me on the opt out list.

[boisewinesnob]

i was about to sign up for this, but you have to enter your social security # on their website, and i'm just not comfortable with that.

It said that you did not have to enter your SS# or birthdate, so I went on to the next page to register and left my SS# blank. It would not work, saying it needed my SS#, so I'm not sure why they say on the first page that you can opt to leave your SS# out :rolleyes: :mad:

Good idea in theory; hope they can work that part out. I don't mind giving my address (since all those companies obviously have that already anyway) but I really don't want to leave my SS#.

[wintersummer]

I have not received a credit card offer in about 3 years.

If you note the return addresses on offers you receive, they only come from about 2 or 3 different places. All these companies seem to subcontract out credit cards to these other companies. Every time I received any credit card offer in the mail, I would detach the mail in portion and write in red capital letters "do not send me any more credit card offers". I'd mail it back in. I did this for about one year, with offers gradually decreasing, and now I don't get any offers. It was a little effort on my part, but mail box is not overloaded anymore. I used to get at least one offer per day. And like I said, I don't recall one offer in about about 3 years, so it's worked!

[VAcooker]

It said that you did not have to enter your SS# or birthdate, so I went on to the next page to register and left my SS# blank. It would not work, saying it needed my SS#, so I'm not sure why they say on the first page that you can opt to leave your SS# out :rolleyes: :mad:

Not sure why it did not work for you boisewinesnob, but I was able to register online (at www.optoutprescreen.com) without having to give my SSN (maybe you could try again?). Then I was able to print out the registration to mail in and I guess that I could add in my SSN to the written application if I wanted. The web-site said the following:

Opt-Out from receiving Firm Offers for Five Years - (electronically through this website).

Opt-Out from receiving Firm Offers permanently - (mail Permanent Opt-Out Election form available through this website).

I did not like giving my SSN online either...I saw a blurb about this web-site (www.optoutprescreen.com) on page 9 of the latest issue of Consumer Reports (December 2007), which is what triggered me to do it. You can also call them at 1-888-567-8688...

[Libra20]

The other thing that I did that has reduced my junk mail a lot is to opt out with every company that you are a customer of. The obvious ones are the credit cards that you currently own. Call them and opt out of everything and ask them to not share your information with other companies. But everyone does it, your television provider (I have satellite), your bank, your cell phone provider, car insurance provider etc. Call them all and ask the to not share your info with other companies and to not send you any of their own promotional offers. There are different levels of opting out.

I was surprised to find even charities do this. When you donate to a charity, ask them to not put your name on any lists and to not share your name. I had donated to an environmental charity and the next thing I know, every week I was getting mailings from charities I'd never even heard of asking for money. This, of course, was upsetting because I'm trying to help the environment and then I get mail wasting trees. Some charities I gave to actually sent me a form asking if I wanted to share my info or not, which I appreciated. Now, when I give, I put a sticky on the check saying to not share my info. Giving online, often automatically the charity puts you into the Will Share Info category.

[boisewinesnob]

Not sure why it did not work for you boisewinesnob, but I was able to register online (at www.optoutprescreen.com) without having to give my SSN (maybe you could try again?).


I just tried again and this is what happened when I left the SSN blank:

Invalid or missing information detected in form:

Social Security Number is invalid. Please try again.

[barbara-cook]

I'm curious if this would work - where they are requesting the SS# - fill it with zeros or - or / marks. Probablys wouldn't work, but it was a thought.

I would LOVE to get off the list of at least half the people that send me offers. When I started my own business a few years ago and registered with the county (DBA), I got TONS of mail. I still get at least 3 credit card offers a week. Sometimes I get two from the same place on the same day!

I think I will give this site a try and if I can't get through the process without using my sS#, I'll do it the way Wintersummer suggested.

Andy Rooney suggested, years ago, that we send all our unwanted junk mail back to the people that sent in in their Business Reply envelopes. But now days, I think the suggestions here are best to help cut down on paper and fuel (transporting the mail).

Great thread!

[barbara-cook]

Well my idea didn't work, and no, it wouldn't accept my application without my ss#. Dumb.

I think I'll try it the other way.

If anyone else has any ideas, lets hear 'em!

[applecrisp]

I just skimmed the responses above. I would suggest checking out the Direct Marketing Association (the trade org for the direct marketing industry.

https://www.dmachoice.org/MPS/ for more info.

I just cut and paste some of the key points. Check out number 3.

Do You Need Help Getting Off Mailing Lists? You Have Options!
The DMA and its member companies want you to be happy with the mail you receive. Following are three choices so that you can be more in control of the types and volume of mail you get from DMA members.

1. Register for DMA's Mail Preference Service (MPS)
MPS will substantially decrease the amount of national advertising mail you receive. Please note that signing up with MPS may prevent you from receiving mail you want, such as new catalogues, coupons, announcements about new businesses in your community, and notices of special offers.

DMA's Mail Preference Service will help to remove your name and address from prospect mailing lists. Members of the DMA are required to use our name-removal service, and other marketers are encouraged to use it. Because some mailings are prepared far in advance, please allow 30-90 days for your registration with MPS to become fully effective.

Although the typical consumer sees a great reduction in the unsolicited mail he or she receives not all commercial mail will stop. You will continue to receive mail from companies with which you already do business and from non-DMA member companies that do not use our service. In addition, you may continue to receive mail from local merchants, professional and alumni associations, political candidates and office holders, and mail addressed to "resident/occupant." Please note that MPS applies only to home addresses, not business addresses.

How to Register for MPS:

You can register for MPS two ways:


Fill out the online form with all required information. There is a $1 fee, payable by credit card, which verifies your registration and helps to protect our system from fraud. DMA uses secure payment transaction processing to protect your credit card information. Registering online is the fastest way to see results.

OR


Fill out the mail-in registration form with all required information. Print the form and mail it with a $1 check or money order, payable to the Direct Marketing Association, to the address on the form. Processing by mail takes longer than online registration.

See below for Frequently Asked Questions about MPS and Getting Off Mailing Lists

2. Opt-out of an individual company's mailing list.
If you do not want to receive mailings from a particular company, the quickest and most effective solution is to contact the company directly and ask to be removed from their mailing list. Because many companies plan mailings far in advance, please allow 30-90 days for mailings from that company to phase out. If you continue to receive unwanted mailings, DMA can help. Please click here for help getting off company-specific mailing lists. Please note that this form only addresses individual company requests. If you are looking for help reducing your total volume of mail, please see Option #1 listed above.

3. Opt-out of pre-screened credit offers.
If you would like to reduce the number of pre-screened credit and insurance offers you are receiving, visit www.optoutprescreen.com or call 1-888-5OptOut (1-888-567-8688) to opt-out of these offers. This is a free service to consumers offered by the major credit bureaus.