There are outside agencies and companies, including national consumer credit reporting agencies, which are in the business of compiling mailing lists for purchase by marketers. You may wish to have your name removed from many of these lists by following the procedures outlined below:

Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and Member Companies:

To remove your name from direct mail or telemarketing lists of members of the Direct Marketing Association, send a written request with your name, address and Social Security number (if it was included in the mailing you received) to the DMA. The DMA is responsible for notifying its members (i.e., the agencies and companies that compile mailing lists) that you want your name removed from the lists they sell. Your name and address remains in their consumer exclusion files for five years.

You must register your own name and address with these organizations because they cannot process any requests from anyone else. Be sure to include any variations of your name, address, and other information that have appeared in mailings or telephone calls that you have received.

Mail Preference Service Association
C/O Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 9008
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008

Telephone Preference Service
C/O Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 9014
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9014

You may also visit the Direct Marketing Association's web site.

National Consumer Credit Reporting Agencies (Credit Bureaus):

In addition to sharing information with member companies for credit verification and fraud control purposes, national consumer credit reporting agencies may also sell or share your name and certain other information to various outside companies for marketing purposes. You may direct these agencies not to sell or share this information about you for marketing purposes–but again, you must make that request on your behalf. If you wish to direct these agencies not to sell or share this information about you for marketing, call their toll-free telephone number at 1-800-353-0809 to communicate your request.