How to stop junk mail
Register at DMAchoice.org to stop most promotional mail, and opt out of prescreened credit and insurance offers at optoutprescreen.com or 1-888-567-8688, for five years or permanently. Expect weeks before the mail slows down.
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Step by step
- 1
Opt out of prescreened credit and insurance offers
Go to optoutprescreen.com or call 1-888-567-8688. The credit bureaus run both. You can opt out for five years or permanently.
- 2
For a permanent opt-out, return the form
Start online or by phone, then sign and return the Permanent Opt-Out Election form, which you get online.
- 3
Register with DMAchoice
Go to DMAchoice.org and choose which marketing mail you want to stop receiving. The FTC says this stops most, but not all, promotional mail. Check DMAchoice.org for the current fee and how long registration lasts.
- 4
Give it time
The credit bureaus process requests within five days, but it can take several weeks for offers to stop, because some companies already had your information before the request was processed.
Watch out for
- Prescreened opt-out covers offers based on credit bureau lists only.
- It won't end mail from local merchants, religious groups, charities, professional and alumni associations, or companies you already do business with.
- DMAchoice stops most promotional mail, not all of it.
- The FTC's pages disagree on whether DMAchoice charges a fee, so check DMAchoice.org before you register.
What stays out there
These services cut the mail that comes from lists. They don't take your name and home address off the databases that produce those lists. Your address can sit on people-search sites and in marketing data that companies buy and resell.
If junk mail arrives with your name and address, that's a sign your details are out there in more than one place. Serus finds where your details are listed and removes them: see how Serus protects you.
Frequently asked
How long does it take for junk mail to stop?
The FTC says requests to opt out of prescreened offers are processed within five days, but it may take several weeks before offers stop.
Is the prescreened credit offer opt-out permanent?
You can choose five years or permanent. For permanent, sign and return the Permanent Opt-Out Election form.
Will DMAchoice stop all junk mail?
No. The FTC says it stops most, but not all, promotional mail.
Why do I still get mail from some organizations?
Prescreened opt-out doesn't cover local merchants, religious groups, charities, professional and alumni associations, or companies you already do business with.
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.
