Learn How to Stop Receiving Postal Mail

Understanding Why You Might Want to Stop Receiving Postal Mail

Many people receive more postal mail than they want or need. The average American household receives about 41 pounds of mail per year, much of which may be unwanted advertisements, catalogs, or promotional materials. Mail accumulation can create clutter in your home, take up storage space, and add to the burden of sorting through papers. Beyond the physical clutter, excessive mail can also pose security risks—sensitive documents may sit in your mailbox where they could be seen or stolen, and unsolicited offers related to credit or financial services can be targets for identity theft.

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Some people stop wanting certain mail because they've moved to a new address and old mail keeps arriving. Others receive mail addressed to previous residents or household members. Still others simply prefer digital communication and want to reduce the paper trail in their lives. Environmental concerns also motivate some households—reducing paper consumption through less mail means fewer trees used for printing and less waste going to landfills.

The good news is that you have several legal options to reduce or stop receiving unwanted postal mail. The methods range from simple, do-it-yourself approaches to working with organizations that handle mail removal requests on your behalf. Some methods work better for certain types of mail than others, so understanding your options helps you choose the most practical approach for your situation.

Practical Takeaway: Before taking action, identify what types of mail you want to stop receiving—whether it's catalogs, advertisements, credit offers, or mail addressed to someone else. This helps you choose the right method to stop each category.

How to Stop Receiving Unwanted Advertisements and Catalogs

Advertising mail and catalogs make up a significant portion of unwanted postal mail for many households. Major retailers, service providers, and marketing companies spend billions sending catalogs and promotional materials to addresses across the country. If you're interested in reducing this type of mail, there are direct methods to contact the companies sending it.

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The most straightforward approach involves contacting individual companies directly. If you receive a catalog from a specific retailer, look for contact information on the back cover or visit the company's website. Most large retailers have customer service departments that maintain mailing lists and can remove your address upon request. Call their customer service line or find an online form where you can report your address for removal. Keep a record of which companies you contact and when, as processing times vary—some companies remove addresses within one to two weeks, while others may take several weeks.

For broader catalog and marketing mail reduction, consider registering with DMAchoice (the Direct Marketing Association's consumer choice service). This free online service allows you to submit your mailing address to reduce unwanted mail. You can register at www.dmachoice.thedma.org and select the types of mail you want to reduce. The organization states that registration can reduce your mail volume by approximately 75 percent within 30 days, though results vary by household.

Another resource is Catalog Choice (www.catalogchoice.org), a free service focused specifically on reducing catalog mail. This website maintains a database of major catalog companies. You can search for catalogs you receive and request removal from their mailing lists through the site, which contacts companies on your behalf.

When contacting companies, be prepared to provide your full mailing address exactly as it appears on the mail you receive. Some companies may ask for additional verification or may ask you to confirm your request through email. Keep confirmation numbers or emails for your records.

Practical Takeaway: Start by identifying five to ten companies that send you the most unwanted catalogs or advertisements. Contact each one with your mailing address and request removal from their mailing list. This targeted approach often produces results within weeks.

Reducing Credit Card Offers and Financial Marketing Materials

Credit card offers and other financial marketing materials represent another major category of unwanted mail. Banks, credit card companies, and financial services firms send millions of pre-approved offers and promotional materials annually. If you want to stop receiving these offers, you have specific legal options through the credit industry's established processes.

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The primary method for stopping credit card offers involves using the Opt-Out Prescreen program. This program, created by the four major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion, and Innovis), allows consumers to opt out of receiving pre-approved credit card and insurance offers. You can opt out online at www.optoutprescreen.com or by calling 1-888-567-8688. The website takes just a few minutes to complete—you enter your personal information and select whether you want a temporary five-year opt-out or a permanent opt-out.

When you opt out of Prescreen, credit card companies and financial services firms cannot use information from your credit report to send you pre-approved offers. This can significantly reduce the volume of financial marketing mail you receive. However, you may still receive other types of financial mail, such as offers from companies you've previously done business with or companies that already have your information through other means.

If you continue receiving credit offers after opting out of Prescreen, you can contact the financial institutions directly. Look for contact information on the offers you receive and request removal from their mailing lists. You can also file complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) if you believe companies are violating your opt-out request, though this doesn't directly stop the mail—it creates a record that may prompt action.

Some credit offers arrive because companies have obtained your address through public records or other data sources. While you cannot prevent all of this activity, the Prescreen opt-out removes you from the primary channel used for credit card offers, which is why it's the most effective single step for this category of mail.

Practical Takeaway: Visit optoutprescreen.com or call 1-888-567-8688 to opt out of credit card offers. Choose the permanent opt-out option if you want long-term reduction. This single action can eliminate a large portion of financial marketing mail within four to six weeks.

Stopping Mail Addressed to Previous Residents or Former Names

Mail arriving for previous residents or under former names is a common frustration, especially for people who recently moved or experienced name changes. This mail can pile up quickly and may include important documents belonging to others, creating privacy concerns. There are practical steps you can take to reduce this category of unwanted mail.

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The first step is to contact the post office. You can visit your local postal location in person or call to report mail arriving for someone else at your address. The postal service has a process for handling this situation. If you've recently moved to a new home, the previous resident may not have filed a mail forwarding order, or the forwarding order may have expired (forwarding typically lasts for one year). Postal staff can note your address in the system, and mail carriers may begin returning mail marked "Person does not live here" or "Return to Sender."

For mail arriving under your former name, you can write "Not at this address" or "Return to Sender—Person no longer lives here" on the mail and put it back in the mailbox. The postal service will return it to the sender. Doing this consistently over time helps senders update their mailing lists. You can also contact senders directly—especially if the mail comes from companies, financial institutions, or government agencies—to update their records with your current name and address or request that your name be removed from their mailing lists.

If the mail addressed to previous residents is substantial or includes sensitive documents, consider calling the mail carrier at your local post office to report the pattern. Some mail carriers can provide additional guidance for your specific situation. In some cases, creating a "return to sender" system—where you consistently return all mail for previous residents—eventually stops the mail flow as senders update their lists.

For mail related to subscriptions, memberships, or services that belonged to the previous resident, you may need to contact those organizations directly. Magazine subscriptions, membership clubs, and similar services typically require direct contact to cancel or transfer the subscription.

Practical Takeaway: Visit or call your local post office to report mail for previous residents at your address. Mark returned mail clearly and consistently. Contact major senders directly to update records. This approach often reduces such mail to occasional pieces within two to three months.

Using the National Do Not Mail Registry and Third-Party Services

Beyond individual company contacts and the Prescreen opt-out, you can explore services that work on your behalf to reduce mail. These range from free programs to

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