Some people enjoy getting pre-approved credit card offers because they are always on the lookout for a better deal. Others prefer not to get these solicitations because they worry about identity theft if a criminal intercepts the offer or they simply don't like having their information sold commercially by the credit bureaus. People in this latter group can remove their names permanently from pre-approved credit card offers.
Step 1
Go to the optoutprescreen.com website which is run by consumer reporting companies Innovis, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion specifically to let you opt out of pre-approved credit card offers and similar solicitations. This is the recommended method to remove your name from credit card solicitations because that is how you are tracked by the credit bureaus as explained by consumer rights guru Clark Howard.
Step 2
Click the button at the bottom of the screen that says "Click Here to Opt-In or Opt-Out," then select the "Permanent Opt-Out by Mail" option and fill in the form that opens on the screen. It will ask for your name, address, phone number and Social Security number.
Step 3
Submit the form and print out the confirmation, then sign it and mail it to the address on the bottom. Your initial submission opts you out of pre-approved credit card offers for five years, but mailing in the form makes the opt out permanent. This will cut back on more than 90 percent of credit-related solicitations according to Clark Howard.
Tips and Warnings
- Clark Howard recommends visiting the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) website to opt out of other types of junk mail. This will cut down on magazine offers, fliers, catalogs and other ads and solicitations.
- The GE Credit Union warns that you might still get pre-approved credit card offers even after you opt out through the official website. It explains that some companies might have purchased your information before you opted out, while others may be getting it from different sources. Shred these offers before trashing them if you don't want them to guard against possible identity theft.
Things You'll Need
- Social Security number
- Internet connection
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