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Are you sick of telemarketing calls and tired of junk mail, including credit card offers? If so, there are some ways you may reduce, and even stop. most of these marketing ploys. Some of the opt out methods are relatively simple, such as the National Do Not Call Registry, and some are confusing, such as the National Do Not Call Registry. Some opt outs may be done by phone, some online, and some must be sent in a postal letter. Some opt outs last forever, some have time limits, and others may be changed at will.

Telemarketing Calls

What are they: Cold calls that try to sell you something.

Lasts for: five years

How: Use the National Do Not Call Registry, a Federal Trade Commission managed national list of phone numbers that telemarketers are not supposed to call. Home and cell numbers may be put on list, but not work phones, unless you work from home using your home phone number. Anyone you have done business with in the last 18 months is still permitted to call you. If you make an inquiry of a merchant, the merchant can call you for six months. Charities and politicians are allowed to call. For more information: http://www.ftc.gov/donotcall

• To opt out by phone: 1-888-382-1222 (call using the phone you want opted out)
• To opt out by TTY: 1-866-290-4236
• To opt out online: https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx (you must provide an email address for verification, which will be kept and can be shared with other federal, state, or local agencies “for any regulatory, compliance, or law enforcement purpose.”
  

Prescreened Offers of Credit or Insurance

What are they: Prescreened/preapproved/prequalified offers send by mail to open new credit cards or purchase insurance. Offering agencies get your information from credit reporting files maintained by credit bureaus in two ways: they may request a list of consumers who meet certain criteria, for example, a minimum credit score, or they may submit a list of names for a credit bureau to screen for consumers who meet certain criteria. If you do want to receive credit or insurance offers or are concerned about someone else obtaining and using the offers in your name, use this opt out. For more information : More about opting out of pre-screened offers of credit:  FTC Privacy Choices for your Financial Information, FTC Prescreened Offers of Credit and Insurance, FDIC Financial Privacy, and Privacy Rights Clearinghouse.

Lasts for: five years or permanently

How:

• To opt out by phone: 1-888-567-8688. This is an automated phone system. You can remove your name for 5 years, add your name back in, or permanently remove your name. When you call in, you will be asked to verify and provide some information, such as your name, home phone number, and Social Security Number.
• To opt out online: https://www.optoutprescreen.com/?rf=t You may opt out or opt back in through this web site.

Direct Marketing Material

What is it: marketing mail and catalogs.

How: Use Direct Marketing Association (DMA) Opt out Services; the DMA is the largest U.S. association of marketers. Only businesses that are members of the DMA will comply with an opt out request through the DMA programs. The DMA offers Mail Preference Service opt out, an email list opt out, and an opt out that lets you remove the names of deceased people from mailing lists. The Mail Preference Service should not affect your receipt of mail and catalogs from companies that you already do business with.

• To opt out online: Visit DMA web site.

  Mail Preference Service Opt Out: Service is usable by anyone. This list reduces mail such as catalogs, etc. It also gets your name off of some prospect mailing lists. Requires a $1.00 fee payable by credit card.

  Email List Opt Out: Sign up will get you off of some mailing lists and may help reduce some unwanted commercial email, but it is not a total cure for spam. Good for five years.

  Deceased Do Not Contact List:  Sign up will remove the names of deceased individuals from marketing lists. Requires a $1.00 fee payable by credit card.

  Do Not Contact Service for Caregivers: For those seeking to remove the names of individuals in their care from commercial marketing lists.

Spam

What is it: unwanted marketing email

How: The federal CAN-SPAM Act requires that a commercial emailer give each email recipient an opt out method. A commercial emailer must provide a return email address or another Internet-based response mechanism that allows a recipient to ask the emailer not to send future email messages to the recipient’s email address. The law requires that commercial email be identified as an advertisement and include the sender's valid physical postal address. The message must contain a clear and conspicuous notice that the message is an advertisement or solicitation and that the recipient can opt out of receiving more commercial email. It also must include a valid physical postal address.

The federal spam law doesn’t work very well to deter most spam. However, any legitimate company using email for advertising is likely to comply. If you receive an email from someone you recognize as a legitimate company and it has an opt out, you can stop that company from emailing you again. This is a very powerful tool because it flatly prohibits more commercial email from that sender to your email address.

To opt out: First, make sure the email is a CAN-SPAM compliant email. Some emails offer opt outs, but the opt outs are fake. A CAN-SPAM compliant email will be labeled as an advertisement, will include a valid postal address for the sender, and will include a workable opt out link of some type. If all three elements are present, then the opt out is probably valid, however, you will have to use your own judgment about each email. Transactional emails are not required to offer an opt out. For example, if you place an online order with an Internet merchant, the message confirming your order, informing you of the shipping date, etc., need not offer an opt out. But if you get a message a month later announcing a sale, that commercial email should include an opt out.

More information about CAN SPAM: FTC CAN SPAM page.

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