Are you getting sick and tired of all the credit card offers that magically appear in your mailbox? Well, you aren't the only one. Part of the reason why you are receiving so many of late is because the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) was changed about 10 years ago to allow major credit bureaus to sell your credit information to credit card companies.
Luckily for U.S. citizens, this Act also states that people have the right to remove themselves from these credit card offer lists. This article will detail some of the ways you can avoid getting those credit card offers.
Credit Card Offers: Opt Out By Mail
The longest and most time consuming of the options, but it also does seem to be the most effective. You can mail a letter to each of the (listed below) credit bureaus, requesting that your name not be included on their credit card offers list(s). Make sure to give them your name, phone number, full address, and Social Security Number to each and every place. Also, if you've moved recently, you'll want to provide updated information for the past two years.
Equifax (http://www.equifax.com/)
Equifax Options
PO BOX 790123
Atlanta, GA 30374-0123
TransUnion (http://www.transunion.com/)
TransUnion LLC's Name Removal Option
PO Box 97328
Jackson, MS 39288-7328
Experian (http://www.experian.com/)
Consumer "OPT-OUT"
901 West Bond
Lincoln, NE 68521
Innovis (http://www.innovis.com/)
Innovis is the new guy on the block when it comes to receiving credit card offers. They started business in 2001, providing credit agencies with marketing information on potential, new clients. One of their features is called FailSafe, which is a list of people who may pose a credit risk, and therefore should be removed from the credit card offers list. Another is called New Movers, which is exactly as it sounds: a monthly list of people who have just moved.
Credit Card Offers: Opt Out By Mail
There is an easier way, although there is a bit of controversy surrounding this company. 1-888-5-OPTOUT is a number run jointly by all four of the credit bureaus listed above. By calling it, you can ask to no longer receive any credit card offers in the mail.
First of all, call the number. Then, select option 2 to stop all credit card offers being sent to your home. Finally, follow the prompts to provide all of the same contact information as before (phone, name, full address and Social Security Number).
Supposedly, just five days after you have made this simple call, you will be mailed a "Notice of Election" form. However, there is a bit of controversy regarding this option. It seems that a large scale bogus email was sent out in July of 2004, stating that this same legislation allows for ANYONE to access your credit information.
The FTC, however, has stated publicly that this is just not true. They say that the legislation in question only gives financial institutions a deadline to let you know about their privacy policies, and some way of opting out of the sharing of private information. In reality, consumers can opt-out of any of these types of information gathering processes by contacting the number listed above; July 1 is not a deadline. And finally, not ANYONE can gain access to your credit information; it has to be for a certain list of reasons, such as an application for credit, insurance, employment or rental.
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