For anyone sick of receiving credit card, etc. offers--Opt Out

I just found this when I was getting my free credit report from Transunion. You can go to:
https://www.optoutprescreen.com/opt_form.cgi
and opt out of them releasing your personal financial info to banks, insurance companies, etc. I was appalled when I saw on the end of my report all of the companies that have been looking at my information so they could inundate me with "offers". You can opt out for limited amounts of time, or permanently. I did both mine and my husband's permanently. It says:
"While your name will be removed from the pre-approved credit or insurance offer lists that Equifax, Experian, Innovis and TransUnion provide to businesses, you may continue to receive mail from sources that do not use credit reporting companies to compile their lists."

I just signed up for permanent opt-out :)

Whois info:
Registrant:
Consumer Data Industry Association
1090 Vermont Avenue, N.W.
Suite 200
Washington, District of Columbia 20005
United States

Registered through: GoDaddy.com
Domain Name: OPTOUTPRESCREEN.COM
Created on: 10-Aug-04
Expires on: 10-Aug-06
Last Updated on: 29-Nov-04

Administrative Contact:
Payne, Alicia acpayne@cdiaonline.org
Consumer Data Industry Association
1090 Vermont Avenue, N.W.
Suite 200
Washington, District of Columbia 20005
United States
2023710134 Fax --
Technical Contact:
Payne, Alicia acpayne@cdiaonline.org
Consumer Data Industry Association
1090 Vermont Avenue, N.W.
Suite 200
Washington, District of Columbia 20005
United States
2023710134 Fax --

Domain servers in listed order:
INS1.WESTINTERACTIVE.COM
INS2.WESTINTERACTIVE.COM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Does anyone know if "Consumer Data Industry Association" is legit? I see they have a website, but there's NO other google links or references to it. Seems a bit... odd, if you ask me...

Check with the credit reporting agencies first...:thumbsup:

that by "opting out" you end up opting in on yet another list?

on any old random web site--even if source is DU

It could be another "phishing" scam (I don't know if it is or not, but I wouldn't put my SSN on something that I was was half-sure about...)

It's linked directly off the Transunion personal solutions page, so it is being directly promoted/endorsed by the company.

("Optoutprescreen.com is a joint venture between Equifax Information Services, LLC, Experian Information Solutions, Inc., Innovis Data Solutions, Inc., and TransUnion, LLC (collectively the "Consumer Credit Reporting Companies"))

http://www.transunion.com/content/page.jsp?id=/personalsolutions/general/data/OptOut.xml

But I agree, before you give ANYONE your SSN, you better be sure you know who it is! :)

It's directly off of Transunion's site, where I just got my credit report. I think it is similar to putting your phone number on the "Do Not Call" list.
I absolutely agree--don't put your SS# out on anything you're not sure about. I highly resent these companies trading my personal financial information around though, with no authorization. It seems to me like this is a scenario ripe for I.D. theft....

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

My hubby and I were just looking for a way to stop all these CC offers we get each day, and save some trees in the process! :) thanks!

Instead of junking the junk mail shuffle it and re-insert it in the various pre-addressed "postage-paid" envelopes and mail them back some attractive offers you think they'd like.
:evilgrin:

I sent their own junk back to them with my name torn off and "Try back when Bush is gone and the bankruptcy bill is overturned" scrawled across it with a Sharpie.

It felt great.

I use their postage paid envelopes to mail the crap back to them. It keeps USPS in business.

have a customer ID number and barcode stamped on them, along with a warning that it is illegal to tamper with the envelope or its contents. I've been seeing these in some of the junk mail I have been getting the last couple of months or so and was wondering what was up with that. Has anyone else seen these?

and I'll use it as I see fit. They can make like a moth and chew through the cloth.

of the Sunday paper, but am now using mail order catalogs. The paper is much heavier than newsprint, thereby increasing weight. I sent most of the spring LL Bean & J Marco catalogs in the last three credit card offers.

I also am very careful to make sure the bar code is not defaced in any way - I want these folks to know who this letter is from.

I was thinking about adding pennies for more weight, but decided against helping pay for postage.

:toast:

Make it postage due for them.

and send that back. If just one person learns something, it's worth it.

:thumbsup:

might even be devious enough to sign up on all the right wing and televangelist websites and use those envelopes when they start begging for money!


:evilgrin: