The One Thing That Stops Credit Card Junk Mail

Is your mailbox cluttered with junk mail credit card offers and insurance mailings? Feel like a few less trees need to be killed to send out this unsolicited junk? I’m right there with you.

Hang on: I have an easy tip for you that will, over a couple months’ time, seriously cut down on the amount of that spammy junk mail you get.

Here’s my story. Quite a few years ago, I stumbled upon a credible tip that I could opt-out of these mailings online. Lo and behold, I did and it dramatically reduced the amount of junk mail I receive.

The Back Story

You see, credit bureaus make big bucks selling your name and credit data to marketers. Who are the credit bureaus? They collect information about your credit use from people to whom you routinely owe money — companies related to everything from the credit card you use to the doctors you visit to the apartment you rent. The main credit bureaus in the United States are Equifax, Experian, Innovis, and TransUnion.

Say what? The credit bureaus are allowed to share my data like that. Absolutely.

Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the consumer credit reporting companies (CCRCs) can include your name on lists sold to creditors or insurers to make firm offers of credit or insurance that are not initiated by you. These are called “Firm Offers”. Why would anyone want these? Perhaps you don’t have a credit card or insurance and are looking for a deal (seriously, there are better deals you can find online). Or maybe you’re a direct marketer and you’re collecting competitive mail samples.

But for the rest of us, the FCRA (thankfully!) gives you the legal right to opt-out of having your name and credit info added to the credit bureaus’ lists. Specifically, when you opt-out, you stop CCRCs from providing your credit file information for “Firm Offers.”

How You Can Opt-Out

There’s a free website called Opt-Out Prescreen that acts as a funnel for the major credit bureaus (also called consumer credit reporting companies or CCRCs) to manage requests from people who want to opt out of having their names on “firm offer” mailings from credit card companies and insurance companies.

To opt-out, you’ll need to visit http://www.optoutprescreen.com. It’s free. I get no compensation for telling you this (just the joy of less trees being killed.) Once at their site, you’ll need to go through the various prompts (make sure you pick “opt-out” and NOT “opt-in”) Leave blank the social security number fields and anything else that’s not “required.”

How Long Does the Opt-Out Last?

How long does this last? You can easily opt-out for 5 years. To opt-out permanently, you’ll need to mail in a letter as well (alas, more trees). And, if you have a business, you may still receive business-related credit card offers. What if you change your mind? Just go back out to their website and opt back in.

A Huge Benefit

But here’s an added benefit to opting out. When credit card offers sit in your mailbox, you’re more at risk of identity theft. How? By keeping credit card and insurance offers out of your mailbox, you may be able to thwart some federal-law-breaking jerk who decides to crack open your mailbox, grab your credit card offer and get a little free money under your name.

Other Tips to Stop Junk Mail

Let’s say you go through this opt-out website and you’re still not getting the results you want. Call the offending credit card company or insurance company directly and ask them to take you of their list.

What if some other company is annoying you with junk mail? Again, give them a call and see if you can get off the list. If it looks like mail fraud, don’t hesitate to get your local police department or FBI involved.

Protect Yourself by Reading More about This Topic

I also recommend taking a look at these books about stopping junk mail and identity theft at Amazon (disclosure: these are affiliate links):

Stop Junk Mail, Scam Calls and Fight Identity Theft in 5 Minutes (or Less) — This book sometimes is free for Amazon Kindle Unlimited customers.

Identity Theft Alert: 10 Rules You Must Follow to Protect Yourself from America’s #1 Crime

Cyber Smart: Five Habits to Protect Your Family, Money, and Identity from Cyber Criminals

… and to handle any mail you get with your personal information on it, make sure you have a micro-cut shredder (don’t use a cheap strip shredder). I really like this one from AmazonBasics. It’s not too expensive and very highly rated. I keep my shredder right by my main trash can and recycle bin in the kitchen so I can shred the sensitive parts and immediately trash/recycle the nonsensitive parts (like the leaflets (aka buckslips), return envelope, etc.

AmazonBasics 12-Sheet High-Security Micro-Cut Paper, CD and Credit Card Home Office Shredder with Pullout Basket

Here’s to a junk-mail-free world!