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Privacy Policy
To learn how services incorporated into this blog may use personal information, click here.
Total entries in this blog:
Published: Sep 16, 2005 01:40 PM
Fri - May 16, 2003
Part VI: Opting Out -- How To Protect Your Privacy
Learn how to reduce your
vulnerability to identity theft by removing your address and phone number from
direct marketing lists and telephone solicitations.
This article is informational in
nature and is not legal advice. If you need legal counsel, consult a licensed
attorney in your
jurisdiction.
Unsolicited telephone offers and direct mail marketing efforts are not only wasteful and annoying, they may also make you a more vulnerable target for identity theft if the offers are stolen from your mailbox, improperly disposed of, or if an insider at a marketing company steals your personal information. Here's how to fight back.
How to opt out of generalized direct marketing communications
Here's the bad news: You will need to communicate with multiple entities to remove yourself from the most popular direct marketing databases. Now here's the good news: Many of those entities are listed here.
The Direct Marketing Association is the industry organization that most direct mailers belong to. The Association regularly provides member companies with a list of people who want to opt out of direct mail marketing, telemarketing, and electronic mail campaigns. You can opt out of mail and telephone on the DMA web site (for $5 each), or you can opt-out for free by writing to:
Mail Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 9008
Farmingdale, NY 11735
Telephone Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 9014
Farmingdale, NY 11735
E-Mail Preference Service (online opt out)
The DMA says that you should notice a decrease in the amount of junk mail you receive within three to six months.
The Federal Trade Commission has set up a National Do Not Call List so that consumers can opt out of telemarketing promotions. You can register for the list here or by calling (888) 382-1222 from the home phone or cell phone that you want to register.
however, in the interim, the California Department of Justice lets consumers pre-register for inclusion on the federal list. Information about other state do not call lists can be found here.
Credit Reporting Services' Opt Out Service. If you've ever received an unsolicited offer for a new credit card or mortgage refinancing, you've likely been targeted using information provided by Experian, TransUnion, and EquiFax. To opt out of receiving credit-related offers, call (888) 567-8688.
Experian Consumer Services will remove your name from non-credit offers targeted using the Experian reporting service list. Call (402) 458-5247.
How to opt-out of use of your information by mailing list brokers
The following companies sell mailing lists. Ask that your name be removed from their databases, mailing lists, telemarketing lists, and email lists and that they cease sharing, licensing, or selling your personal information to third parties and their own affiliates, customers, and partners.
Acxiom Corporation
Attn: Opt-outs / Consumer Advocacy
PO Box 2000, Conway AR 72033-2000
Abacus Direct
PO Box 1478
Broomfield, CO 80038-1478
American Direct Mail Partners
5801 E. 41st St. Ste. 30
Tulsa, OK 74135-5601
Database America
Compilation Department
470 Chestnut Ridge Rd
Woodcliff Lake NJ 07677-7604
Donnelly Marketing, Inc.
Data Base Operations
416 S. Bell, Ames IA 50010
Harte-Hanks
Database Opt Out/Privacy
703 Grant Avenue
Lake Katrine, NY 12449-5350
InfoUSA
Attn: Product Quality ProCD
PO Box 27347, Omaha NE 68127
Metromail Corp.
Consumer Services
901 West Bond
Lincoln, NE 68521
Money Mailer
14271 Corporate Dr.
Garden Grove, CA 92643-4994
The Polk Company
Attention: Opt-Out Coordinator
The Polk Company
26955 Northwestern Highway
Southfield MI 48034-8455
zapdata.com Customer Support
460 Totten Pond Road
Waltham, MA 02451-1908
How to opt out of inclusion of your name in online phone directories and databases:
The following companies sell or provide free access to personal information drawn from public records and telephone white pages. Ask that your name be removed from their databases, mailing lists, telemarketing lists, and email lists and that they cease sharing, licensing, or selling your personal information to third parties and their own affiliates, customers, and partners.
Four11.com
Select the link to "update your listing," then choose "remove from the directory". Four11.com powers Yahoo! People Search.
InfoSpace (supplies names to AOL People Search and other sites)
You can opt out online by looking up your own name or email address, then selecting the link to remove your entry.
LEXIS/NEXIS People Locator Services
legalnotices@lexisnexis.com (to opt of marketing from Lexis-Nexis)
US Search.com Inc.
Opt-Out Program
5401 Beethoven Street
Los Angeles, CA 90066
Switchboard.com
Search for your name, then select the link to remove your entry.
Whitepages.com (email your full name, phone number, address, and day time phone (as they appear in the whitepages.com directory).
How to opt out of advertising servers
The following services sell and deliver online advertising. You can opt out of their use of cookies to track your internet activity by following the links below.
Advo
Advertising.com
Amazon.com
Click on "Your account" then "manage your communication preferences."
Atlas Direct Marketing
Bluestreak.com
DoubleClick
Network Advertising
Terra Lycos
Go to this page, log-in, and opt-out.
Web Trends Live.com
To opt out of mailings from Web Trends, go here.
To opt out of communications for non-administrative purposes, go here.
Yahoo!
How to opt out of communications from financial institutions
Financial institutions often use your personal information for marketing purposes. The federal Gramm-Leach Bliley Act allows you to opt out of this practice. You'll have to write to each institution individually, but you'll find sample opt out letters and a list of many financial institutions here. Good luck!
How to opt out at the post office
I've written a separate article on this topic, which you can find here.
This is part six of a series. To continue reading the rest of the articles in this series, select:
Part I: It Happened To Me; It Can Happen To You
Part II: How Identity Theft Occurs
Part III: How to Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft
Part IV: What To Do When Your Identity Is Stolen
Part V: Online Resources for Identity Theft Victims
Unsolicited telephone offers and direct mail marketing efforts are not only wasteful and annoying, they may also make you a more vulnerable target for identity theft if the offers are stolen from your mailbox, improperly disposed of, or if an insider at a marketing company steals your personal information. Here's how to fight back.
How to opt out of generalized direct marketing communications
Here's the bad news: You will need to communicate with multiple entities to remove yourself from the most popular direct marketing databases. Now here's the good news: Many of those entities are listed here.
The Direct Marketing Association is the industry organization that most direct mailers belong to. The Association regularly provides member companies with a list of people who want to opt out of direct mail marketing, telemarketing, and electronic mail campaigns. You can opt out of mail and telephone on the DMA web site (for $5 each), or you can opt-out for free by writing to:
Mail Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 9008
Farmingdale, NY 11735
Telephone Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 9014
Farmingdale, NY 11735
E-Mail Preference Service (online opt out)
The DMA says that you should notice a decrease in the amount of junk mail you receive within three to six months.
The Federal Trade Commission has set up a National Do Not Call List so that consumers can opt out of telemarketing promotions. You can register for the list here or by calling (888) 382-1222 from the home phone or cell phone that you want to register.
however, in the interim, the California Department of Justice lets consumers pre-register for inclusion on the federal list. Information about other state do not call lists can be found here.
Credit Reporting Services' Opt Out Service. If you've ever received an unsolicited offer for a new credit card or mortgage refinancing, you've likely been targeted using information provided by Experian, TransUnion, and EquiFax. To opt out of receiving credit-related offers, call (888) 567-8688.
Experian Consumer Services will remove your name from non-credit offers targeted using the Experian reporting service list. Call (402) 458-5247.
How to opt-out of use of your information by mailing list brokers
The following companies sell mailing lists. Ask that your name be removed from their databases, mailing lists, telemarketing lists, and email lists and that they cease sharing, licensing, or selling your personal information to third parties and their own affiliates, customers, and partners.
Acxiom Corporation
Attn: Opt-outs / Consumer Advocacy
PO Box 2000, Conway AR 72033-2000
Abacus Direct
PO Box 1478
Broomfield, CO 80038-1478
American Direct Mail Partners
5801 E. 41st St. Ste. 30
Tulsa, OK 74135-5601
Database America
Compilation Department
470 Chestnut Ridge Rd
Woodcliff Lake NJ 07677-7604
Donnelly Marketing, Inc.
Data Base Operations
416 S. Bell, Ames IA 50010
Harte-Hanks
Database Opt Out/Privacy
703 Grant Avenue
Lake Katrine, NY 12449-5350
InfoUSA
Attn: Product Quality ProCD
PO Box 27347, Omaha NE 68127
Metromail Corp.
Consumer Services
901 West Bond
Lincoln, NE 68521
Money Mailer
14271 Corporate Dr.
Garden Grove, CA 92643-4994
The Polk Company
Attention: Opt-Out Coordinator
The Polk Company
26955 Northwestern Highway
Southfield MI 48034-8455
zapdata.com Customer Support
460 Totten Pond Road
Waltham, MA 02451-1908
How to opt out of inclusion of your name in online phone directories and databases:
The following companies sell or provide free access to personal information drawn from public records and telephone white pages. Ask that your name be removed from their databases, mailing lists, telemarketing lists, and email lists and that they cease sharing, licensing, or selling your personal information to third parties and their own affiliates, customers, and partners.
Four11.com
Select the link to "update your listing," then choose "remove from the directory". Four11.com powers Yahoo! People Search.
InfoSpace (supplies names to AOL People Search and other sites)
You can opt out online by looking up your own name or email address, then selecting the link to remove your entry.
LEXIS/NEXIS People Locator Services
legalnotices@lexisnexis.com (to opt of marketing from Lexis-Nexis)
US Search.com Inc.
Opt-Out Program
5401 Beethoven Street
Los Angeles, CA 90066
Switchboard.com
Search for your name, then select the link to remove your entry.
Whitepages.com (email your full name, phone number, address, and day time phone (as they appear in the whitepages.com directory).
How to opt out of advertising servers
The following services sell and deliver online advertising. You can opt out of their use of cookies to track your internet activity by following the links below.
Advo
Advertising.com
Amazon.com
Click on "Your account" then "manage your communication preferences."
Atlas Direct Marketing
Bluestreak.com
DoubleClick
Network Advertising
Terra Lycos
Go to this page, log-in, and opt-out.
Web Trends Live.com
To opt out of mailings from Web Trends, go here.
To opt out of communications for non-administrative purposes, go here.
Yahoo!
How to opt out of communications from financial institutions
Financial institutions often use your personal information for marketing purposes. The federal Gramm-Leach Bliley Act allows you to opt out of this practice. You'll have to write to each institution individually, but you'll find sample opt out letters and a list of many financial institutions here. Good luck!
How to opt out at the post office
I've written a separate article on this topic, which you can find here.
This is part six of a series. To continue reading the rest of the articles in this series, select:
Part I: It Happened To Me; It Can Happen To You
Part II: How Identity Theft Occurs
Part III: How to Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft
Part IV: What To Do When Your Identity Is Stolen
Part V: Online Resources for Identity Theft Victims