How to Get Rid of Junk Mail
Write to the mail preference service (US) or the Mailing preference service (UK).These do-not-mail lists are maintained by the major marketing associations that distribute the major mailing lists, but they do work., Avoid placing your address on...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Write to the mail preference service (US) or the Mailing preference service (UK).These do-not-mail lists are maintained by the major marketing associations that distribute the major mailing lists
The US mail preference service will charge you one dollar ($1) to add your name to their opt-out list by mail, but it is free using their online form.
In the UK, it's free of charge. -
Step 2: but they do work.
If you do write your address or phone number, write alongside it something like, "Please do not sell or distribute my information, nor add to mailing lists." It's generally not necessary to send in warranty cards or "register" a warranty for the warranty to be valid, regardless of what the card may imply. , Some items are sent in such bulk that they go to every resident on a postal route.
These are addressed to "Resident," "Our Friends At," or some variant.
Your postal carrier cannot, by law, determine what you consider "junk mail".
All "resident" mail must be delivered as addressed.
You must contact individual mailers to have your address removed from their database.
Look around on mailers for return addresses and phone numbers.
Here are quick links to some common ones.
ADVO is responsible for the blobs of sales circulars and the little card with the missing children.
Call sweepstakes mailers like Publisher's Clearinghouse (phone 1-800-645-9242 or email mailto:[email protected]) with your full address and instructions to remove from mailing list.
American Family Sweepstakes is another common solicitor of this type (phone 1-800-237-2400).
Pennysaver, Potpourri, and Redplum.The online form does require a valid email address, but the confirmation requires no reply, so if you are concerned about your privacy, you can use a service such as Mailinator.
You can also mail the entire back label with a request to be removed to 2830 Orbiter Street, Brea CA 92821-6224.
Their circulation message listing these details can be reached at 1-800-422-4116, but it is a recorded message.
Mail suppression of this publication is good for one year and they do not honor mail removal requests from third parties. , Many companies target specific areas based on neighborhood subdivisions or home values.
By making your information confidential in the county and state databases you may eliminate quite a bit of junk mail. , If you do business with a company via mail services, it will put you on its contact list.
So the first time you make a transaction (such as placing an order) with that company, ask to be put on its "in-house suppress" or "do not promote" lists.
Tell the company not to "rent" or share your name with other companies. , Free papers and handbills are another form of unsolicited advertising that often plagues our front lawns, but most are not delivered through the mail.
Many of the people who deliver free papers will simply stop once the resident has placed a sign near their mailbox that reads "No Free Papers." In the USA, it is illegal for anyone other than the letter carrier to put things in your mailbox. , They're not junk mail, but it does require paper and resources to mail them.
Many businesses and banks now offer electronic notifications, which will significantly reduce unnecessary mail clutter. , If you've moved recently, the mail can take a while to catch up with you.
Make sure you call the USPS or fill out the online form to keep your address current.
Often, changing your address will reenlist you in various solicitation mailers you've previously opted out of.
You may have to re-do them if you start getting mailers you've canceled.
You should not receive mail if the mail or the accompanying card is not addressed to you, but some bulk sales circulars may continue arriving on "auto-pilot" after you have canceled them.
Remind your letter carrier politely that this matter is not addressed to you. , If you are getting first class mail for a former resident, you can write Return to Sender/Not at this address on the envelope and drop that envelope back in the mailbox. , Mail a copy of the death certificate to each of them:
Equifax P.O.
Box 105069 Atlanta, GA 30348 Experian P.O.
Box 9530 Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion P.O.
Box 6790 Fullerton, CA 92634 , This will halt the flow of most junk mail to someone who is deceased.
Use the Deceased Do Not Contact Form.Follow the instructions through the entire process, and be certain to verify the registration after you receive the email. , Sometimes it will be the same toll-free number that you would call to make an order; sometimes it will be a separate "customer service" number.
Look around on the back cover and the order form.
Call the university recruitment office and cancel the flyers.
Whether you're a prospective student or you've long since graduated, these recruitment materials can be a pain.
The best way to stop them is by calling the university recruitment office and requesting it be cancelled.
If you are a high school student already getting recruitment literature from universities, ask your counselor to help set things straight for you. , Occasionally, the customer service people will ask why you want to be removed.
Simply explain that you are not interested in the products offered or that you're not planning on attending this university.
Be kind, but firm.
Have the catalog, or at least the mailing label from it handy when you call.
Often they will request a tracking number or other code printed there. , Many catalog and mail-order companies offer opt-outs on their websites.
If you prefer the convenience of a web form, look around the catalog or the company's website and you will often find one. , Many schools get your information when you take the PSAT, SAT, ACT, or other standardized test.
When you sign up for such standardized tests, read the form carefully.
Likewise, many mail-order businesses, especially printing houses that print checks and personalized stationery, often send other mail and sell the addresses of their customers.
Read carefully when filling out any form to make sure you're not agreeing to receive catalogs.
CollegeBoard, the organization behind the PSAT, SAT, and AP tests, states that their "Student Search Service" program is voluntary .
ACT states in their privacy policy that you have a choice of whether to receive communications in excess of the required ones., Generally, credit card companies purchases information from credit reporting agencies.
These lists generally consist of people pre-approved for a credit card based on a particular criteria determined by the credit company.
These criteria are not, however, the same to determine whether or not you'll be approved for the credit card eventually, so often the "pre-approved" tag is somewhat misleading.
Make sure you're not agreeing to any mailing lists when if you use a credit agency to receive a credit report or a credit score. , This one phone call tells all four major credit reporting agencies, including Equifax, Innovis, TransUnion, and Experian, to stop sending credit card offers.
Listen to the options carefully on this automated number to opt-out for up to 5 years.
You can also request to be permanently removed from their lists.
You can also also make the request using their online form at https://www.optoutprescreen.com/opt_form.cgi , Even if they come with your bill each month, cash advances usually start accruing interest immediately, so it's not a good idea to use them.
If you do receive them and don't plan to use them, you should destroy them. , The credit agency databases are consistently updated.
Cross-referencing of the credit lists will also cause these solicitations to snowball.
If you move or receive a credit score, these solicitations may start up again even if you've expressly canceled them.
So don't wait, take action as soon as you start receiving unwanted credit solicitations. , If you live in a larger city, you may get phone books from multiple carriers during a single year.
To stop them, or to receive only the one book you prefer to use, follow them to their source.
Many have opt-out pages online now. , Most yellow pages phone numbers are available online, so the best option for you might be opting out entirely.
To opt out of a variety of phone books at once, go to Yellow Pages Opt Out at http://yellowpagesoptout.org/.
Once you create an account, you should see a selection of phone books for your area.
You can choose which ones you wish not to receive.
Verizon/Superpages and Dex both use Yellow Pages Opt Out as their opting out service. , Most printed phone directories may be recycled with your regular paper recycling.
They're also good for starting campfires or charcoal grills. -
Step 3: Avoid placing your address on surveys
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Step 4: raffles
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Step 5: and product warranty cards.
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Step 6: Ask individual senders to remove you from their lists.
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Step 7: Request your name be eliminated from the county tax database.
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Step 8: Remind companies you do business with of your mailing and privacy preferences.
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Step 9: Place a sign by your mailbox that reads "No Free Papers".
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Step 10: Sign up to receive statements and bills electronically.
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Step 11: Keep your address current.
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Step 12: Return to sender.
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Step 13: Report deaths to the credit reporting agencies to avoid possible identity theft.
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Step 14: Report deaths to the Direct Marketing Association (in the U.S.).
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Step 15: Call individual catalog companies or universities soliciting potential students and ask them to remove you from their mailing lists.
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Step 16: Prepare a response.
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Step 17: Opt out on the website.
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Step 18: Opt out before it's sent.
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Step 19: Determine why you're receiving the solicitations.
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Step 20: Call 1-888-5 OPT OUT (or 1-888-567-8688).
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Step 21: Call your credit card companies directly and ask them to stop sending you cash advance checks.
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Step 22: Keep up with it.
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Step 23: Pick one.
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Step 24: Pick none.
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Step 25: Recycle them.
Detailed Guide
The US mail preference service will charge you one dollar ($1) to add your name to their opt-out list by mail, but it is free using their online form.
In the UK, it's free of charge.
If you do write your address or phone number, write alongside it something like, "Please do not sell or distribute my information, nor add to mailing lists." It's generally not necessary to send in warranty cards or "register" a warranty for the warranty to be valid, regardless of what the card may imply. , Some items are sent in such bulk that they go to every resident on a postal route.
These are addressed to "Resident," "Our Friends At," or some variant.
Your postal carrier cannot, by law, determine what you consider "junk mail".
All "resident" mail must be delivered as addressed.
You must contact individual mailers to have your address removed from their database.
Look around on mailers for return addresses and phone numbers.
Here are quick links to some common ones.
ADVO is responsible for the blobs of sales circulars and the little card with the missing children.
Call sweepstakes mailers like Publisher's Clearinghouse (phone 1-800-645-9242 or email mailto:[email protected]) with your full address and instructions to remove from mailing list.
American Family Sweepstakes is another common solicitor of this type (phone 1-800-237-2400).
Pennysaver, Potpourri, and Redplum.The online form does require a valid email address, but the confirmation requires no reply, so if you are concerned about your privacy, you can use a service such as Mailinator.
You can also mail the entire back label with a request to be removed to 2830 Orbiter Street, Brea CA 92821-6224.
Their circulation message listing these details can be reached at 1-800-422-4116, but it is a recorded message.
Mail suppression of this publication is good for one year and they do not honor mail removal requests from third parties. , Many companies target specific areas based on neighborhood subdivisions or home values.
By making your information confidential in the county and state databases you may eliminate quite a bit of junk mail. , If you do business with a company via mail services, it will put you on its contact list.
So the first time you make a transaction (such as placing an order) with that company, ask to be put on its "in-house suppress" or "do not promote" lists.
Tell the company not to "rent" or share your name with other companies. , Free papers and handbills are another form of unsolicited advertising that often plagues our front lawns, but most are not delivered through the mail.
Many of the people who deliver free papers will simply stop once the resident has placed a sign near their mailbox that reads "No Free Papers." In the USA, it is illegal for anyone other than the letter carrier to put things in your mailbox. , They're not junk mail, but it does require paper and resources to mail them.
Many businesses and banks now offer electronic notifications, which will significantly reduce unnecessary mail clutter. , If you've moved recently, the mail can take a while to catch up with you.
Make sure you call the USPS or fill out the online form to keep your address current.
Often, changing your address will reenlist you in various solicitation mailers you've previously opted out of.
You may have to re-do them if you start getting mailers you've canceled.
You should not receive mail if the mail or the accompanying card is not addressed to you, but some bulk sales circulars may continue arriving on "auto-pilot" after you have canceled them.
Remind your letter carrier politely that this matter is not addressed to you. , If you are getting first class mail for a former resident, you can write Return to Sender/Not at this address on the envelope and drop that envelope back in the mailbox. , Mail a copy of the death certificate to each of them:
Equifax P.O.
Box 105069 Atlanta, GA 30348 Experian P.O.
Box 9530 Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion P.O.
Box 6790 Fullerton, CA 92634 , This will halt the flow of most junk mail to someone who is deceased.
Use the Deceased Do Not Contact Form.Follow the instructions through the entire process, and be certain to verify the registration after you receive the email. , Sometimes it will be the same toll-free number that you would call to make an order; sometimes it will be a separate "customer service" number.
Look around on the back cover and the order form.
Call the university recruitment office and cancel the flyers.
Whether you're a prospective student or you've long since graduated, these recruitment materials can be a pain.
The best way to stop them is by calling the university recruitment office and requesting it be cancelled.
If you are a high school student already getting recruitment literature from universities, ask your counselor to help set things straight for you. , Occasionally, the customer service people will ask why you want to be removed.
Simply explain that you are not interested in the products offered or that you're not planning on attending this university.
Be kind, but firm.
Have the catalog, or at least the mailing label from it handy when you call.
Often they will request a tracking number or other code printed there. , Many catalog and mail-order companies offer opt-outs on their websites.
If you prefer the convenience of a web form, look around the catalog or the company's website and you will often find one. , Many schools get your information when you take the PSAT, SAT, ACT, or other standardized test.
When you sign up for such standardized tests, read the form carefully.
Likewise, many mail-order businesses, especially printing houses that print checks and personalized stationery, often send other mail and sell the addresses of their customers.
Read carefully when filling out any form to make sure you're not agreeing to receive catalogs.
CollegeBoard, the organization behind the PSAT, SAT, and AP tests, states that their "Student Search Service" program is voluntary .
ACT states in their privacy policy that you have a choice of whether to receive communications in excess of the required ones., Generally, credit card companies purchases information from credit reporting agencies.
These lists generally consist of people pre-approved for a credit card based on a particular criteria determined by the credit company.
These criteria are not, however, the same to determine whether or not you'll be approved for the credit card eventually, so often the "pre-approved" tag is somewhat misleading.
Make sure you're not agreeing to any mailing lists when if you use a credit agency to receive a credit report or a credit score. , This one phone call tells all four major credit reporting agencies, including Equifax, Innovis, TransUnion, and Experian, to stop sending credit card offers.
Listen to the options carefully on this automated number to opt-out for up to 5 years.
You can also request to be permanently removed from their lists.
You can also also make the request using their online form at https://www.optoutprescreen.com/opt_form.cgi , Even if they come with your bill each month, cash advances usually start accruing interest immediately, so it's not a good idea to use them.
If you do receive them and don't plan to use them, you should destroy them. , The credit agency databases are consistently updated.
Cross-referencing of the credit lists will also cause these solicitations to snowball.
If you move or receive a credit score, these solicitations may start up again even if you've expressly canceled them.
So don't wait, take action as soon as you start receiving unwanted credit solicitations. , If you live in a larger city, you may get phone books from multiple carriers during a single year.
To stop them, or to receive only the one book you prefer to use, follow them to their source.
Many have opt-out pages online now. , Most yellow pages phone numbers are available online, so the best option for you might be opting out entirely.
To opt out of a variety of phone books at once, go to Yellow Pages Opt Out at http://yellowpagesoptout.org/.
Once you create an account, you should see a selection of phone books for your area.
You can choose which ones you wish not to receive.
Verizon/Superpages and Dex both use Yellow Pages Opt Out as their opting out service. , Most printed phone directories may be recycled with your regular paper recycling.
They're also good for starting campfires or charcoal grills.
About the Author
Ashley Green
Experienced content creator specializing in home improvement guides and tutorials.
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