How to opt out of prescreened credit card offers (OptOutPrescreen)
Go to optoutprescreen.com or call 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688). Choose a five-year opt-out, or start a permanent one and return the signed Permanent Opt-Out Election form. Requests are processed within five days.
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Step by step
- 1
Go to the official site or call
Go to optoutprescreen.com or call 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688). The service is run by the consumer reporting industry, not the government, so use the official address and number and avoid lookalikes.
- 2
Give the details it asks for
You'll be asked for personal details such as your name, address, Social Security number and date of birth. The FTC says what you give is confidential and may be used only to process your opt-out.
- 3
Choose five years or permanent
A five-year opt-out starts with the same website or phone call. For a permanent opt-out, you also complete the Permanent Opt-Out Election form from the site, sign it and return it.
- 4
Wait for offers to taper off
Requests are processed within five days, but it can take several weeks before the prescreened offers stop.
Watch out for
- It only covers prescreened offers built from credit bureau lists. Credit and insurance offers drawn from other sources can keep coming.
- Mail from local merchants, charities and companies you already do business with continues. Contact those senders directly.
- Some companies already hold your information, which is why mail can arrive for weeks after you opt out.
- You can opt back in later through the same website or toll-free number.
Other ways to do it
- 1
By mail, without internet
If you don't have internet access, send a written opt-out request to each of the major consumer reporting companies.
What stays out there
OptOutPrescreen stops credit bureau lists from being used for prescreened offers. It does nothing about data brokers, people-search sites or marketing lists that hold your name and address from other sources.
Those listings stay until someone requests removal. Serus finds where your details are listed and removes them. Start at serus.ai.
Frequently asked
What is OptOutPrescreen?
It's the website and phone line, 1-888-5-OPT-OUT, where you opt out of prescreened credit and insurance offers. The consumer reporting industry runs it.
What's the difference between five years and permanent?
Both start at the website or phone number. The five-year opt-out ends after five years. A permanent opt-out also needs the signed Permanent Opt-Out Election form.
Why am I still getting offers?
Processing takes up to five days and offers can keep arriving for several weeks. Opting out also doesn't stop offers from local merchants, charities, companies you already do business with, or sources other than credit bureau lists.
Is it safe to give my Social Security number?
The FTC says the site asks for it along with other details, and that the information is confidential and used only to process your opt-out. Only use the official website or phone number.
Can I opt back in?
Yes. Use the same website or toll-free number.
Sources
Related guide Guide: How to Delete Yourself from the Internet Something changed? If these steps no longer match what you see, tell us and we'll re-check it.
