Current Affairs

Send a postcard to:
The Direct Mail Preference Service
P.O. Box 643
Carmel, New York 10512
Include all the variations of your name (this does not affect companies from which you have ordered in the past).

Also, when buy over the phone or through the mail, request that your name is not provided to other companies.

National "Do Not Call" Registry Information

Register: Do Not Call
(have to update every 5 years)

By law, the Michigan Secretary of State must share driver's license information with those who request it. This is the information is sold by the state to marketing firms.

You can opt-out of having your name including in the lists provided to these firms. This doesn't stop what's already been shared, but it eliminates your name being on future lists. Note: It only works if you are registered with a Michigan driver's license or boat/snowmobile license.

The URL for the electronic opt-out form is: http://www.sos.state.mi.us/bdvr/opt-out.html. You'll need specific information such as driver's license number, license plate number, and vehicle identification number. If you have questions about the opt-out process you can call the Secretary of State's Office at 517-322-1000.

Additional Tips, Help, and Information:

Sources for More Information and step-by-step help:

EcoCycle.org
Do It Yourself - Stop Junk Mail

"Please do not rent, sell, or trade my name or address"

Avoid getting on even more mailing lists by taking precaution whenever you submit your name and address to anyone. If you're filling out a form such as a warranty, subscription, raffle, customer info card, credit card application, membership for an organization, etc., add the phrase "please do not rent, sell, or trade my name or address" next to the other information you provide. (Be advised that it is not necessary to fill out a warranty card to benefit from the warranty on your purchase. The warranty card is usually just a way to get consumer info from you.) Repeat these same magic words every time you're giving a company or organization your name and address over the phone or internet, such as when ordering a catalog, magazine, or making a purchase. The sales rep will then flag your name in their computer.

Information from warranty and registration cards is often sold to direct mailers. Read the fine print to see if you are required to return the card to validate the warranty. Registration may be important if the product you are purchasing is found to be defective and the manufacturer institutes a product call-back or upgrade. If you return the card, all you need to include is your name, address, product information and, if requested, the date of purchase and a copy of the receipt. It is not necessary to answer personal questions other than your name and address. No matter what you choose to fill out on the card, make sure you include the magic words, "please do not rent, sell, or trade my name or address."

Start saving the labels of all the variations of the names and addresses which come to your mail box.

Every variation, no matter how small (or comical), is another name on a list which gets sold to literally thousands of businesses.