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SALT LAKE CITY — The industry calls it “direct mail”, “bulk mail” or even “standard mail.” You likely know it as junk mail.
It runs the gamut from pre-approved credit offers and bulk coupons to catalogs, insurance offers and much more.
Putting the kibosh on a lot of that junk can take just a few clicks.
Your first stop should be the Data and Marketing Association. They run a website to help you refuse numerous magazine offers, retail flyers, strange catalogs and more.
The service costs $2 and lasts for 10 years.
Pre-approved credit offers make up a lot of junk mail, much to the delight of identity thieves.
To stop those offers along with insurance offers, sign onto OptOutPrescreen.com. The credit bureaus run the site, so they’ll ask for your Social Security number to prove your identity.
Several big companies mail coupons by the bulk. As of yet, there is no central place to go to opt out. There are several options available, individually.
For coupons and flyers mailed out by Money Mailer, you can send an email to ListContactManager@moneymailer.com and include your name and mailing address.
For direct mail you have received from RetailMeNot Everyday (formerly RedPlum) as well as ValPak, you can fill out an online form to opt out of their mailers. It could take several weeks before the change takes effect.
Since many charities sell and trade info with each other, a donation could prompt a lot more mail.
Charity watchdog CharityWatch recommends sending a note with your donation that requests your charity to hold onto your personal info.
