Unwanted Junk Mail

While it would be impossible to avoid ever being on a mailing list, there are some easy steps to take to help reduce the number of lists on which your name, address and possibly phone number appear.

First, do not enter random contests. If there is a contest you wish to participate in, be sure to write "Please do not rent or sell my name and contact information" on the form. You will also want to include that phrase any time you donate to a charity. Once you get on a charity mailing list you are going to be FLOODED with requests for money.

The very first thing you want to do is call 1-888-5OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688) to reduce solicitations for credit offers. This is the opt-out number operated by the three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). If you wish to do it online, they have a website at http://www.optoutprescreen.com.

You can request to be removed from catalogs you are receiving by registering at http://www.catalogchoice.org. Save a few trees and your mail carrier's back.

Most junk mailers find out about you from large companies who make it their business to have a deliverable address for as many Americans as possible. Mailing list brokers make it their business to know as much about you as possible so that you can be targeted. Targeted mailing lists are far more valuable than just selling a list of addresses. This is why when you sign up for one recipe magazine you almost immediately get offers for others.

Here are some of the big companies you will wish to mail or call directly.

Abacus Direct
PO Box 1478
Broomfield, CO 80038-1478
1-800-518-4453 or 1-303-410-5294

Acxiom Corporation
Attention: Opt-outs / Consumer Advocacy
PO Box 2000, Conway AR 72033-2000
1-501-342-2722

*Acxiom has been known to send you another form to fill out. This unfairly burdens you, but no law prevents them from making it difficult for people to get out of their database.

Donnelly Marketing, Inc.
Attention: Data Base Operations
416 S. Bell
Ames, IA 50010
1-515-382-5441

InfoUSA
Attention: Product Quality
PO Box 27347
Omaha NE 68127
1-888-633-4402

Metromail Corp.
Attention: Consumer Services
901 West Bond
Lincoln, NE 68521
1-800-228-4571

The Polk Company
Attention: Opt-Out Coordinator
26955 Northwestern Highway
Southfield MI 48034-8455
1-800-873-7655

The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) charges a dollar ($1) to remove you from their list. They also have a policy in place to put you back on if you do not renew in 5 years. I'm not sure it is worth the dollar to take a chance they will even remove you. But if you want to try here is their contact information:

Direct Marketing Association
Attention:Mail Preference Service
P.O. Box 282
Carmel, NY 10512-0282

DMA has a website for removal as well. https://www.dmachoice.org/MPS/

U.S. Post Office Form 2150, Prohibitory Order Against Sender has been replaced by Form 1500. Form 1500 is available for free in .pdf format via the USPS website.

Download Form 1500 Here

Do not let the wording on the form fool you, it can be used to stop ANY piece of mail. Page 13 of Postal Bulletin 21977 states:

Postmasters may not refuse to accept a Form 1500 because the advertisement in question does not appear to be sexually oriented. Only the addressee may make that determination.

Most clerks will not know what to do with Form 1500 and may direct you to the Post Master.

You can bypass your local post office by mailing the completed Form 1500 and attached OPENED junk mail piece to:

Pricing and Classification Service Center
PO BOX 1500
New York NY 10008-1500

The junk mail you attach to Form 1500 MUST be opened because it is against the law for postal employees to open sealed mail.

Most internet savvy people abhor SPAM emails. While I also hate SPAM, I hate junk snail mail even more.

SPAM emails cost me nothing but time to delete. Junk mail costs me time (because sometimes I have to actually open it to find out it is crap) AND I have to pay the trash man to haul it away.

Too many tress are killed already, save a few by taking yourself off of bulk mailing lists. The environment thanks you.