You can stop most credit card offers by contacting the credit reporting agencies directly
Credit card offers arrive because credit reporting agencies sell your information to card issuers — not your name and address alone, but your credit profile. You cannot stop all offers, but you can block the ones that come from the major sources. The fastest route is to call the opt-out service run by the four credit reporting agencies, which handles roughly 90 percent of prescreened offers. A single phone call or online request stops offers for five years; a permanent request requires a signed form.
The service is free and takes about five minutes. You do not need to dispute anything or prove you are on a list — you straightforward tell them you do not want prescreened offers, and they remove your name from the lists card companies buy. Offers that still arrive after that usually come from banks where you already have an account, or from smaller issuers who buy data from other sources.
Key Takeaways
- Call 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688) or visit OptOutPrescreen.com to stop prescreened offers for five years with a phone call.
- Prescreened offers come from credit reporting agencies selling your profile to card companies, not from your bank or the government.
- A permanent opt-out requires printing and mailing a signed form, which the credit agencies provide at the same website.
- Offers that continue after opting out usually come from banks where you hold an account or smaller issuers using different data sources.
- Opting out does not affect your credit score or your ability to get credit — it only removes you from marketing lists.
How prescreened offers reach your mailbox
Card companies do not randomly mail offers. They buy lists from Equifax, Experian, TransUnion, and Innovis — the four major credit reporting agencies. These agencies compile your credit history and sell "prescreened" lists to lenders, meaning the card company has already checked your credit score and payment history before the offer arrives. You are not on the list by accident; you are there because your credit profile meets their minimum standards.
This is different from general marketing mail. A card company cannot legally send you a prescreened offer unless you fall within their credit criteria. The agencies make money from these sales, so they keep selling unless you tell them to stop. Opting out removes your profile from the lists they sell, which cuts off the largest source of card offers.
The five-year opt-out: phone or online
The easiest route is a five-year opt-out, which you can do by phone or website in one sitting. Call 1-888-567-8688 (the number spells 1-888-5-OPTOUT) or visit OptOutPrescreen.com. You will need your Social Security number, date of birth, and current address. The phone call takes about three minutes; the website form takes about five.
When you call, a representative will confirm your information and remove your name from prescreened lists. You do not need to speak to a human — the automated system works just as well. The opt-out takes effect within about one week, though some offers already in the mail may still arrive after that. Five years from the date you opt out, your name returns to the lists unless you opt out again.
The permanent opt-out: mailed form
If you want to stop prescreened offers permanently, you must print and mail a signed form. Visit OptOutPrescreen.com and read the permanent opt-out form, or call 1-888-567-8688 and ask them to mail it to you. The form requires your signature, date of birth, and Social Security number.
Mail the signed form to the address listed on the form — currently the Direct Marketing Association in New York, though this address can change. Keep a copy for your records. Processing takes about two to three weeks after they receive it. Once processed, your name stays off prescreened lists indefinitely, even if you move or change your credit profile. You do not need to renew it.
Why offers may still arrive after you opt out
Opting out stops prescreened offers from the four major credit reporting agencies, but not all card offers come from that source. Banks where you already hold a checking or savings account can mail you offers without buying a prescreened list — they use their own customer data. If you have a Chase checking account, Chase can mail you a credit card offer without consulting Equifax or Experian.
Smaller card issuers and subprime lenders sometimes buy data from data brokers, marketing firms, or public records rather than from the credit reporting agencies. These offers are harder to stop through a single action. Your best option is to contact the card issuer directly and ask to be removed from their marketing list, or to mark the envelope "Return to Sender — Refused" and send it back.
Stopping offers from banks where you have an account
If you receive offers from your own bank, call their customer service number on the back of your debit or credit card and ask to be removed from marketing mail. Most banks have an internal opt-out process separate from the credit reporting agency system. Provide your account number and confirm your address, then ask them to flag your account as "no marketing mail."
Some banks allow you to manage this in their online banking portal under account settings or preferences. Check your bank's website first — many now let you toggle marketing communications on and off without calling. If the option is not there, a phone call to customer service will handle it in a few minutes.
What opting out does and does not do
Opting out removes you from prescreened marketing lists only. It does not affect your credit score, your credit report, or your ability to get credit when you actually need it. Lenders can still see your full credit history and approve you for a card if you explore directly — opting out just stops them from mailing unsolicited offers.
You also remain on other marketing lists. Opting out of prescreened credit offers does not stop you from receiving other direct mail, email marketing, or phone calls from companies. If you want to stop other types of marketing, you may need to contact those companies separately or register with the National Do Not Call Registry for telemarketing calls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does opting out hurt my credit score?
No. Opting out is not a credit action — it does not appear on your credit report and does not affect your score. It only removes you from marketing lists. Your credit profile remains unchanged.
Can I opt out permanently online, or do I have to mail a form?
You must mail a signed form for a permanent opt-out. The five-year opt-out can be done online or by phone, but permanent removal requires your signature. You can read the form at OptOutPrescreen.com or request it by phone.
How long does it take for offers to stop after I opt out?
The opt-out takes effect within about one week, but offers already printed and mailed may still arrive for another two to four weeks. If offers continue beyond a month, contact the credit reporting agencies again to confirm your opt-out was processed.
What if I want to receive offers again after opting out?
For a five-year opt-out, you can straightforward opt back in by calling 1-888-567-8688 or visiting OptOutPrescreen.com again. For a permanent opt-out, you would need to contact the credit reporting agencies directly to request reinstatement, which may require a written request.
Do I need to opt out with all four credit reporting agencies separately?
No. The opt-out service at OptOutPrescreen.com and the phone number 1-888-567-8688 handle all four agencies at once — Equifax, Experian, TransUnion, and Innovis. One request stops offers from all of them.