Why Do I Get So Many Credit Card Applications and Pre-Approvals via Mail?

Have you noticed an influx of credit card applications and pre-approvals arriving in your mailbox seemingly out of the blue? This uptick is part of a strategic marketing tactic employed by credit card companies known as direct mail marketing. If you've received these mailers via EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail), ECRWSS (Every Consumer Regular Weekly Standard Select), ECRWSH (Every Consumer Regular Weekly Standard Householder), or ECRLOT (Every Consumer Regular Long Organic Target), it's not just you; your neighbors have likely received the same exact mailers.

This marketing strategy works because it leverages a significant portion of the population to make their services recognizable. However, if you find this activity frequent and bothersome, you can take steps to opt out.

Opting Out of Direct Mailers

Stopping credit card mailers sent via direct mail requires a direct approach. You'll need to contact each credit card company individually and request to be removed from their postal mailing or marketing lists.

Example letter to a credit card company to opt out:

Dear [Credit Card Company],
[ Please remove my address from your postal mailing/marketing list.
[ Name/Address as it appears on the mailer.
See attached mailer for reference.
[ Please find the attached USPS informed delivery image.
[ Thank you for your cooperation.
[ Sincerely,
[ Your Name

Note that if you continue to receive direct door mailers, including political or credit card mailers, it's a sign that USPS still has this variation of your name listed as a current resident. In this case, you should ask your mail carrier to verify your address via the MLNA (Moved Left No Address) process. This option, 'N' in their handheld device, will update USPS's database, effectively stopping the mailers.

Stopping Pre-Approval Offers via the Opt Out Prescreen Program

Pre-approval offers, also known as prescreened offers, are typically printed in the fine print of the offer you received. These offers are based on your credit history or score meeting certain criteria. To stop these statements, you must register with the Opt Out Prescreen program, which is a service offered by the major credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. The program is voluntary and allows you to restrict the dissemination of your credit information by credit card issuers.

To stop these offers permanently, choose the 'permanent' option on the registration form. It's essential to note that if you do not provide your Social Security Number (SSN) or Date of Birth (DOB) during registration, you need to register each name and address variation that received the opt-out prescreen offers.

Stopping Marketing Mailers for Cardmembers and Users

Even if you are a cardmember, past cardmember, or authorized user of a credit card, you may receive non-first class marketing mailers that prompt you to change to a new card. To stop these mailers, you should refer to the credit card company's privacy policy and follow their opt-out procedure. This can typically be found in their terms and conditions or online account settings.

You can also update your preferences through online security and privacy settings in your account. Always ensure that your preferences are up-to-date.

It's a good idea to verify if you have an account with a specific credit card company. You can check your free annual credit report from Experian, Equifax, TransUnion, or Innovis to confirm your active accounts and mailing addresses.