If your mailbox is overflowing on a daily basis with preapproved credit card offers, you should know that you can make them stop coming. Credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) sell your personal information to creditors, who in turn try to solicit for your business. Similar to the National Do-Not Call Registry, consumers can register to have their names and information remove from these lists, nearly eliminating credit card offers entirely.
Step 1
Visit Optoutprescreen.com. Click the button at the bottom of the page to opt out. You will be required to enter your full name, address, phone number, date of birth and social security number. The website operates on a secure server. When opting out online, your choice is valid for five years.
Step 2
Complete the form and mail it to the address specified to permanently opt out of prescreened credit card offers. To find the form, click on the button to opt out on the Optoutprescreen.com website. Choose the option to opt out permanently. An online form will pop up; enter your information, then click "confirm." Your form will automatically appear on the screen. Choose the "click here to print" option, then sign your form. Send the form by certified mail to: Opt-Out Department, P.O. Box 2033, Rock Island, IL 61204-2033. The address will also appear on your printed form.
Step 3
Call (888) 5-OPTOUT if you prefer to complete the process over the telephone. You will be required to give the same information as through the website.
Step 4
Write letters to each credit bureau to ensure that your information isn't sold or redistributed in any way. Your letter should simply state that you do not wish for your information to be sold or given to any other company for any purpose, and that you revoke any previous permission to share your information with others. This is an additional step to ensure that your information remains confidential. Mail letters to the credit bureaus as follows:
Experian
901 West Bond
Lincoln, NE 68521
Attn: Consumer Services Department
TransUnion
Name Removal Option
P.O. Box 505
Woodlyn, PA 19094
Equifax
P.O. Box 740123
Atlanta, GA 30374-0123
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