How to Stop Receiving “pre-approved” Credit Card Offers?

April 24, 2007

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the Consumer Credit Reporting Companies are permitted to include your name on lists used by creditors or insurers to make firm offers of credit or insurance that are not initiated by you (”Firm Offers”).

You have the right to “Opt-Out”, which prevents Consumer Credit Reporting Companies from providing your credit file information for Firm Offers. To “Opt-Out”, you can either opt-out online by visiting OptOutPrescreen.com or call 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688).

Other Opt-Out Resources:

To get rid of most other junk mail, write a letter giving your complete name, name variations and mailing address to:

Mail Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 9008
Farmingdale, NY 11735

1-800-407-1088 Opt-Out from all mailing and telemarketing lists

To get off commercial E-mail lists
http://www.dmaconsumers.org/optoutform_emps.shtml

To remove your name from many telephone solicitation lists, send your complete name, address and phone number with area code to:

Telephone Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 9014
Farmingdale, NY 11735

Once you write, you’ll remain on the Direct Mailing Association opt-out list for five years. It may take up to three months before you notice a significant reduction in the amount of direct mail and phone calls you receive.

To be removed from the mailing lists of the major data compilers, call or write to these firms. (Note: These companies also subscribe to the DMA’s Mail Preference Service.)

• R. L. Polk & Co.
  List Compilation
  26955 Northwestern Highway
  South Field, MI 48034(810) 728-7000
• First Data Info-Source Donnelley Marketing, Inc.
  Data Base Operations
  1235 “N” Ave.
  Nevada, IA 50201.(888) 633-4402 or (515) 382-8321
• ADVO-Systems
  Director of List Maintenance
  239 West Service Rd.
  Hartford,CT 06120-1280
• Metromail Corp.
  List Maintenance
  901 West Bond
  Lincoln, NE 68521(800) 426-8901.
• Database America
  Compilation Dept.
  100 Paragon Dr.
  Montvale, NJ 07645(201) 476-2000 or (800) 223-7777
• Haines and Company,Inc.
  Criss-Cross Directory
  2382 East Walnut Avenue
  Fullerton,CA 92631 Donnelly Marketing
  Database Operations
  416 South Bell
  Ames,IA 50010
• Acxiom Corporation
  1 Information Way
  Little Rock, AR 72202
  Tel. No.: 501-342-2722

To reduce or stop receiving coupons, ads and/or product samples in your mail, you will need to contact the companies distributing these materials to your residence. You can write or call these companies and request that your name and address be removed from their company’s mailing lists. One such company mailing these materials is:

Advo Incorporated
Delivery Services
1001 West Walnut Street
Compton, CA 90220-5191
Tel. No.: (310) 637-0438

Online resources:

• The web site of Junkbusters offers a number of free services to help you get rid of unwanted snail-mail and e-mail.
• Outpost Network is another online service that helps you cut down on junk mail (fee charged).
• Read the Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility online guide on reducing junk mail.
• Other online resources are:
  • Consumer Research Institute at www.stopjunk.com/environment.html
  • Obviously Implementations Corp. at www.obviously.com/junkmail
  • Ecofuture at www.ecofuture.org/ecofuture/jnkmail.html

For more information on Credit Card Offers, please visit http://www.creditcardflyers.com/