How to use DMAchoice to stop junk mail
Register at DMAchoice.org, the Association of National Advertisers' mail preference service, or mail in the registration form. Registration lasts 10 years. It cuts most national advertising mail but not all, and results can take 60 to 90 days.
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Step by step
- 1
Go to DMAchoice.org
DMAchoice is a mail preference service run by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA).
- 2
Start a registration
Use the site's registration page to set your mailing preferences.
- 3
Pay the fee shown on the site
The FTC and DMAchoice pages have listed different fees over time, so go by what the registration page shows when you sign up.
- 4
Wait 60 to 90 days
DMAchoice's form says results can take 60 to 90 days to appear.
Watch out for
- Registration lasts 10 years.
- You'll keep getting mail from organizations you already do business with.
- Not every organization uses DMAchoice, so some mail, including from local and political groups, can continue.
- Prescreened credit and insurance offers go through a separate service, OptOutPrescreen.com, run by the credit bureaus.
Other ways to do it
- 1
Register by mail
Print the registration form from DMAchoice.org and mail it with payment, or send a written request. DMAchoice says cash, certified and registered mail aren't accepted. One form can cover up to three people at one address.
What stays out there
Closing your mail preferences stops new data from piling up at that one company. It doesn't reach copies that people-search sites and data brokers already hold, or old search results that point to them. Your name and home address can stay on people-search sites and mailing lists that don't use DMAchoice.
Serus finds where your details are listed and removes them. You can also see the manual route in our data broker opt-out guides.
Frequently asked
How long does DMAchoice last?
Registration lasts 10 years, according to the FTC.
How long until my junk mail drops?
DMAchoice says results can take 60 to 90 days.
Does DMAchoice stop all junk mail?
No. It stops most national advertising mail, but not mail from companies you do business with or from groups that don't use it.
How do I stop prescreened credit card offers?
Use OptOutPrescreen.com or call 1-888-567-8688, the credit bureaus' service, as the FTC describes.
Sources
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