These credit bureaus send out most of the unsolicited credit offers. You may also remove the names of deceased individuals from marketing lists. The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) is the single largest provider of direct mail lists. Doe, Jonathan Doe, Johnny Doe)Į-mail, fill out the online form, call or send a letter to the following organizations to request your name to be taken off their list:

Be sure to list all variations of your name (such as John Doe, John T. Returning unsolicited mail postage due - Trying to get the attention of a company by returning your accumulated junk mail in an envelope with insufficient postage does not work.įollow the steps below so you can help keep junk mail from finding its way to your doorstep:įill out and mail simple letters to companies that send you unwanted mail. Post Office does not forward third class bulk mail, so this mail will be discarded. Refusing unsolicited mail - Writing 'Return to Sender' or 'Refused' on unsolicited mail and placing it in your mailbox does not work. Two ways that won't help you reduce junk mail: You can also ask the post office to hold your mail for pick up until everyone knows your address. As an alternative solution, you may send out your own postcards announcing your new address to those whose mail you wish to receive. This is how national list brokers, credit bureaus and others may get your name in the first place. Postal Service makes money by selling the information from change of address cards to private businesses. Post Office change of address cards: The U.S. On the bottom of checks made out to magazines, catalogs or charity organizations, write 'DO NOT SELL MY NAME'.ĭo not give out your address unless it is necessary. If you do want to receive a particular catalog, but not so frequently, request to receive it less often. When you sign up for a service or order from a catalog, tell them not to sell your name or send promotional materials. To keep these activities from creating more junk mail, practice preventative junk mail care and make the following a part of your routine: Signing up for a service (car insurance, health care, etc.) Having your address listed in a publication The following activities often lead to increases in your junk mail load: In order to substantially reduce your junk mail, you need to reduce access to your name and address so that it won't be traded, rented, or sold to companies who send you unwanted mail. Department of Energy and the Paper Task Force statistics)īut there is good news! You can get rid of 90 percent of that junk mail much easier than you might think. (New American Dream calculation from U.S.

It takes 36 million BTUs to make a ton of paper, and the production and disposal of junk mail alone consumes more energy than 2.8 million cars. Trees aren’t the only resource used to make our junk mail, either. It takes 17 trees to make a ton of paper, and over 100 million trees get used for junk mail every year in the U.S.

Everything we use can be traced back to a natural resource, including junk mail. Reducing junk mail gets clutter out of your mailbox, frees up your time, and helps protect the environment. Are you tired of unwanted mail? Have you ever returned from a vacation with a mound of mail and most of it is solicitations and credit card applications?

No junk mail list