Receiving junk mail from companies trying to market new products and services can be an annoyance. Mass mailing lists allow credit card companies, car companies, retailers and other types of businesses to send solicitations through the mail to potential customers. The unwanted mail is often disregarded and tossed in the trash. Removing personal contact information from mass mailing lists will reduce the amount of junk mail you receive and decrease the possibility of identity theft from stolen mail.

  • Receiving junk mail from companies trying to market new products and services can be an annoyance.
  • Removing personal contact information from mass mailing lists will reduce the amount of junk mail you receive and decrease the possibility of identity theft from stolen mail.

Write a letter asking to be removed from the national mailing list. Include in the letter all variations of your name, e.g., full name including middle name or initial, last or first name only, first initial and last name. Make sure to include your address and telephone number.

Print out several copies of the letter. You'll need to send it to different locations, depending on they type of solicitations you receive.

Contact the Better Business Bureau to obtain the contact information for the mass mailing solicitation companies. Not all companies require a letter; some have phone numbers to call or websites on which you can make your removal request.

  • Print out several copies of the letter.
  • Not all companies require a letter; some have phone numbers to call or websites on which you can make your removal request.

Mail a removal letter to the Direct Marketing Association located in New York or visit their website to process your removal request. Members of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) pitch their products and services via mass mailing lists provided by the association. It can take up to 90 days to stop receiving mail from DMA member companies, even though the list will be updated immediately upon receiving the request.

Mail a separate letter to the DMA for removal from their mass telephone solicitation list. Do Not Call removal lists are also available through local branches of the Better Business Bureau in each state.

Go online to the DMA's website to report a company still sending solicitations after your removal request was processed. There is a form on the site dedicated to correcting this problem. DMA gives companies 90 days to update records and stop sending out mail to an individual no longer on the list.

WARNING

Removing your name from mass mailing lists doesn't take effect immediately. There might be a waiting period.