Why it is worth doing
Pre-approved credit card and insurance offers carry your name and address and sometimes a ready-made application. A thief who takes one from your mailbox or trash could try to use it. Fewer offers means less to steal and less to shred.
Stop pre-approved credit and insurance offers
The site will ask for your Social Security number and date of birth. That is normal for this official site. It may take a couple of months for the offers to stop.
- Go to optoutprescreen.com, the official site run by the credit bureaus, or call 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688).
- Choose to opt out for five years, or choose permanent.
- For a five-year opt out, you can finish online or by phone.
- For a permanent opt out, you start online, then print, sign, and mail a form.
Cut down catalogs and ads
- DMAchoice, run by the marketing industry, lets you remove your name from many mailing lists for several years. There is a small fee.
- For any catalog you get, call the number on the back or email the company and ask to be taken off their mailing list. Have the customer number from the label ready.
- Charities you have given to before often share or rent their lists. When you donate, ask them not to share your name.
Handle the rest safely
- Shred anything with your name, address, and an account number or pre-filled application.
- Collect your mail every day, or ask the post office to hold it when you travel.
- Be wary of letters made to look official, like warranty notices or prize wins. If you are unsure about a letter, you can send Uncle a photo of it and ask.
Stuck on a step?
Text Uncle at +1 208 214 0093 and tell him what you see on your screen. He walks you through it in plain words, one step at a time.
Read next
Written by the Textuncle team. Last updated October 3, 2026.
Text Uncle