How to Stop Unsolicited Phone Calls, Email and Mail – Tips from the FTC

If you are like a large number of Americans, you are fed up with unsolicited telemarketing phone calls, and junk mail, including SPAM in your email. If you’re wondering how to put a stop to these unwanted calls, mail and email, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has some answers and tips to help.

Whether you want to put an end to your junk mail like preapproved credit card applications, or want the telemarketing calls at dinner time to end, the key says the FTC is knowing how to tell them to stop. Below are the tips provided by the FTC on their web site.

How to Stop Receiving Preapproved Credit Card Offers:

According to the FTC you can opt out of credit card and insurance junk mail offers either for a period of 5 years, or permanently. You can opt out for 5 years by calling toll-free 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688) or by going online to www.optoutprescreen.com.

Also at the www.optoutprescreen.com web site you can begin the process to opt out permanently. To complete the process you must return the signed Permanent Opt-Out Election form that you will be able to print out from the web site once you complete the online form.

How to Stop the Unsolicited Telemarketing Calls

To get the unwanted telemarketing calls to stop, the federal government has set up the National Do Not Call Registry. This is a free and easy way to reduce the telemarketing calls you get at home. Unfortunately many political calls are exempt from this list. More details are available at the web site. To register your phone number or to get information about the registry, go online to www.donotcall.gov, or call 1-888-382-1222 from the phone number you want to register.

How to Stop or Reduce Junk Mail and email SPAM to your Home

While not a perfect solution, you can greatly reduce the amount of Junk Mail sent to your mailbox by opting out through the Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA) Mail Preference Service (MPS) web site. You will be able to opt out from receiving unsolicited commercial mail for a five year period. The only problem with this system is that it only put your name on a ‘do not mail’ list with participating marketing companies. As most national companies participate, this should greatly reduce your junk mail, but you may still receive some from smaller and local businesses. The DMA web site is www.dmachoice.org.

At the DMA web site you can also sign up to opt out of unsolicited commercial emails, known commonly as SPAM. The opt out lasts for 6 years, and should help reduce the spam sent to your inbox.