Cut Down on Junk Mail and Telemarketer Calls
Here are ways to keep all the unwanted letters, calls and emails out of your life
What can you do about the growing pile of unwanted mail in your mailbox and unwelcome telemarketers on your phone?
There's a lot you can do.
- Tell companies you do business with to remove your name from customer lists they rent or sell to others. Look for information on how to opt out of marketing lists on sales materials, order forms and websites.
- Utilize the services provided by the Direct Marketing Association to remove you from most national telemarketing, mail and e-mail lists.
- Call the credit reporting agencies' notification system at 1-888-567-8688. This will reduce the number of unsolicited credit and insurance offers you get. All three major credit bureaus participate in this program.
- Under U.S. Postal Service Rules, it is illegal to send mail that looks like it is from a government agency when it isn't. It is also illegal to send mail that looks like a bill when nothing was ordered, unless it clearly states it is not a bill. Report violations of this rule to the USPS.
Opting out
Tired of unwanted email filling up your inbox? You can opt out of most unsolicited email lists by going to the "unsubscribe" button, usually found at the bottom of the message. Some senders make the button difficult to find, so you may have to do some searching. In addition, the Direct Marketing Association lets you opt out of receiving unsolicited commercial mail from many national companies for five years. You can register with this service for a small fee, but your registration only applies to organizations that use the association's Mail Preference Service.
