Opt Out

Choose from either option below to opt out of telephone directories in your area.

• Visit www.catalogchoice.org to opt out of catalogs, directories and more.
• Visit www.yellowpagesoptout.com to opt out of directories specific to your zip code.

The opt out process is simple:

1. Register with an email address.
2. Once you register, you'll receive a password via email.
3. Return to the site to select which directories or more you wish to receive.

Contact telephone directory companies directly.

• Dex, 1.877.243.8339
• Yellow Book, 1.800.929.3556
• Ziplocal, 1.801.225.0801

Submit an opt out request by phone.

• To opt out for five years: Call toll-free 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1.888.567.8688) 
• Deaf or hard of hearing? Call 7–1–1 and refer the Relay Operator to 1.800.821.9631.

You can stop prescreened insurance and credit card offers online.

• Electronic opt out for five years: www.optoutprescreen.com/opt_form.cgi  
• Permanent opt out must be done by mail: www.optoutprescreen.com/opt_form.cgi
• Opt Out FAQ go to: www.optoutprescreen.com/faq.htm 

For more opt out ideas, visit these sites: 

• Catalog Choice: Consumers can register with Catalog Choice, which then relays your mail preferences to various merchants on your behalf. Catalog Choice can help block unwanted catalogs and junk mail, including some directories, non-profits, coupon aggregators, financial offers and other industries. To learn more, visit www.catalogchoice.org.
• Direct Marketing Association (DMA): DMA's Mail Preference Service (MPS) lets you opt out of receiving unsolicited commercial mail from many national companies for five years. This will reduce most of your unsolicited mail. However, your registration will not stop mailings from organizations that do not use the DMA's Mail Preference Service. Go to www.dmachoice.org; note there is a $1 charge to submit your opt out request online or by mail.
• Stop Junk Faxes: Federal Communications Commission explains your rights regarding unsolicited faxes. Visit their website: www.fcc.gov/guides/fax-advertising, or call 1.888.225.5322.

These are the magic words you’ll want to use when you’re filling out forms like warranty cards, subscriptions, raffles, customer information cards, credit card applications, memberships for an organization, or pretty much any time your submit your name and address to anyone.

Write these words next to your personal information, and repeat them when making purchases over the phone or on the internet, and you will stay off mailing lists.

A note about warranties: Warranty and registration cards are usually just a way to get consumer information from you that is then often sold to direct mailers. Read the fine print to see if you are required to return the card to validate the warranty.

Contact your personal credit card companies and ask them to place your name and information on their "in house” list that is not sold or traded to other companies. This will prevent more credit card offers from being mailed to your home.

If you contribute once a year to a charitable organization, ask them to send you only one donation request per year, or see if they can send you a paperless request via e-mail.

Their purpose is often to obtain your name for mailing lists or to sell you something. If you do sign up for one, be sure to use the magic words.

When you receive a catalog or publication you don’t want, take the 30 seconds it requires to nip it in the bud. Call the 1-800 number of the publisher of the unwanted catalog or publication to have your name removed from their list. Stop the spreading of your name/address before it starts again.