How To Stop Credit Card Offers
It is very annoying to receive dozens of credit
card offers per month, especially when you are not in the market for credit
cards. Even if you are credit card shopping, those ‘pre-approved’ and
‘pre-screened’ offers with the high rates and fees might not be what you are
interested in.
So how do you stop being a credit card offer
magnet?
There are three main ways to stop credit card
offers and essentially it means getting your name taken off the list at the
credit reporting agencies. Starting from the most time consuming to the least
time consuming, the three options are listed as follows.
Contact Each Credit Bureau Directly
A lot of you many not know this, but there are
actually four credit bureaus operating in the market. In order to stop
receiving credit card offers, you can write to each of the four credit reporting
companies individually and request your name be removed from their mailing
lists.
The details to write to are as follows:
Equifax
Equifax Options
PO BOX 790123
Atlanta, GA
30374-0123
Innovis Data Solutions
Innovis
Consumer Assistance
P.O. Box 1358
Columbus, OH
43216-1358
1-800-540-2505
Innovis is
different from the other credit bureaus in that they pass your information to
other companies who compile mailing lists for credit card offers.
There was no specific information regarding opting
out of lists on the Innovis website so your best option is to call the above
number to get the contact details for the relevant department that deals with
name removals.
TransUnion
TransUnion LLC's Name Removal Option
PO Box 97328
Jackson, MS 39288-7328
Experian
Consumer "OPT-OUT"
901 West Bond
Lincoln, NE 68521
Use The Opt-Out Website
All four consumer credit reporting agencies
created the
Opt Out Prescreen Website in a joint venture to make it easier for you to
opt out of credit card offers.
By completing the opt-out form, your request is
sent to all four credit reporting companies at once.
There are three options available to you on this
website and they are:
- Use the website to electronically
opt-out or stop credit card offers for five years.
- Permanently opt out from receiving
firm offers. You can download the form from the website, but you must return
it by post.
- Opt-in to receive firm offers if you
previously completed an opt-out request.
Be sure to have your name, address, social
security number and date of birth to hand. The website states than the date of
birth and social security number are not mandatory, but providing all the
requested information would better assist in the successful completion of your
request.
Opt-Out By Phone
If you choose to opt out by phone you need to have
the same personal information as listed above. The telephone number to call is
1–888-567-8688.
Although it is not against the law for
Consumer
Credit Reporting Companies to include your name on lists used by creditors make
firm offers of credit that you have not requested (Firm Offers) it is your right
to opt out.
With the information in this article, you can
choose the best option for you and exercise your opt-out right.
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