How to Stop Direct Mail Advertising

You go to the mailbox, eagerly anticipating a letter from Aunt Martha and instead you find the box stuffed with junk mail. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), each of us gets about 40 lbs. of unsolicited mail a year. Forty-four percent of that mail goes unopened; only 2 percent ever gets a response. Fortunately, there are a number of steps you can take to reduce the amount of unwanted mail you get.

Instructions

1. Step 1

   Register with the Mail Preference Service of the Direct Marketing Association (see link in Resources). It is the largest supplier of mailing lists for commercial advertisers. This removes your name from the association's mailing lists.

2. Step 2

   Call (888) 567-8688 to stop unsolicited credit card offers. Consumer credit reporting agencies, like Experian and Equifax, have mailing lists often used by credit card companies to send out direct mail. Calling this number will remove your name from these lists.

3. Step 3

   Send an e-mail to Abacus, Inc. at optout@abacus-us.com to stop catalogs from coming to your home. Write or e-mail the specific company if you want to stop an individual catalog from being mailed to you.

4. Step 4

   Request a privacy designation on your name every time you order something over the phone, over the Internet, through the mail, whenever you subscribe to a magazine or become a member of a group. Request the same designation when you deal with banks, mortgage companies, insurance agencies, phone or cable companies, frequent flier programs and mail order companies you do business with.

5. Step 5

   Do not send in product warranty cards. These cards are often filled with questions about personal preferences and are used for mailing lists. Keep the receipt and a product will remain under warranty for the designated time.

6. Step 6

   Complete the U.S. Post Office form 1500 to stop offensive, sexually orientated mail.

Tips & Warnings

• If you don't want to go online to the Direct Marketing Association, ask to remove your name from its lists by sending a written request to: Mail Preference Service Direct Marketing Association P.O. Box 643 Carmel, NY 10512
• Writing "Return to Sender" or "Refused" on junk mail and putting it back in your mail box is futile. The post office does not forward junk mail; it discards it.