topic Re: Prescreen & Opt-Out in Community Chat

Prescreen & Opt-Out

MaggieToo — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 17:46:16 GMT

I am always getting "offers" in the mail. There is a notice of how to Opt Out by calling a number. Well, the first thing asked is for my SS number. I don't really want to give this out over the phone.

Have any of you tried to opt out of these types of "offers"? Is there a way to do it without giving out a SS number?

Re: Prescreen & Opt-Out

brii — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 17:50:42 GMT

I would never give out my SS number Offers for what?

Re: Prescreen & Opt-Out

MaggieToo — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 17:52:02 GMT

On 1/12/2014 brii said: I would never give out my SS number Offers for what?

Credit cards.

Re: Prescreen & Opt-Out

brii — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 17:55:10 GMT

Are you per-approved?

Re: Prescreen & Opt-Out

MaggieToo — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 17:58:25 GMT

On 1/12/2014 brii said: Are you per-approved?

Yes, this one is from Williams-Sonoma....

I don't want any more credit cards and I don't like being sent these "pre-approvals". I'd just like them to stop.

Re: Prescreen & Opt-Out

dooBdoo — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 17:58:31 GMT

MaggieToo, I think this might be what you're referring to (I did it, and I think it's legitimate, safe, and I no longer get the unwanted offers):

____________________________________

Prescreened Credit and Insurance Offers

"...If you decide that you don't want to receive prescreened offers of credit and insurance, you have two choices: You can opt out of receiving them for five years or opt out of receiving them permanently.

To opt out for five years: Call toll-free 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688) or visit www.optoutprescreen.com. The phone number and website are operated by the major consumer reporting companies.

To opt out permanently: You may begin the permanent Opt-Out process online at www.optoutprescreen.com. To complete your request, you must return the signed Permanent Opt-Out Election form, which will be provided after you initiate your online request.

When you call or visit the website, you'll be asked to provide certain personal information, including your home telephone number, name, Social Security number, and date of birth. The information you provide is confidential and will be used only to process your request to opt out.

If you don't have access to the Internet, you may send a written request to permanently opt out to each of the major consumer reporting companies. Make sure your request includes your home telephone number, name, Social Security number, and date of birth..."

See complete info at: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0148-prescreened-credit-and-insurance-offers

Re: Prescreen & Opt-Out

MaggieToo — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 18:01:33 GMT

dooBdoo

The number you referenced is the number on this communication. I guess it might be legit.

Re: Prescreen & Opt-Out

Yuban3 — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 18:03:43 GMT

I used to get a krapload of "You're pre-approved" credit card offers in the mail all the time. I had no desire to apply. So I called the opt-out number on the application. I can't remember if I had to give my SSN or not, but since *I* was the one who called them, if I did have to give it out, I felt comfortable about it.

The only time that *I* wouldn't, is when a solicitor is calling me.

After I called, the offers stopped arriving in my mail.

Re: Prescreen & Opt-Out

dooBdoo — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 18:06:15 GMT

On 1/12/2014 MaggieToo said:
dooBdoo

The number you referenced is the number on this communication. I guess it might be legit.

It is legit. We had no problems as a result of opting out with them, and it most certainly stopped the solicitations.

I loved that result!

Re: Prescreen & Opt-Out

MaggieToo — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 18:07:26 GMT

Thanks all, guess I'll give them a call.

Re: Prescreen & Opt-Out

dooBdoo — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 18:11:15 GMT

For other junk mail, I use these two sites. The junk mail went from massive overload to, at best, one piece every month or so.

Catalog Choice/TrustedID

https://www.catalogchoice.org/

Direct Marketing Association Opt-Out

https://www.dmachoice.org/

So much less hassle, less trash, less to recycle.

Re: Prescreen & Opt-Out

MaggieToo — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 18:24:49 GMT

On 1/12/2014 dooBdoo said:
For other junk mail, I use these two sites. The junk mail went from massive overload to, at best, one piece every month or so.

Catalog Choice/TrustedID

https://www.catalogchoice.org/

Direct Marketing Association Opt-Out

https://www.dmachoice.org/

So much less hassle, less trash, less to recycle.

I'll check these out, too. Thanks

Re: Prescreen & Opt-Out

dooBdoo — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 18:26:37 GMT

You're welcome. I hope those will be helpful. I've been fortunate to learn about great resources from posters here, and I try to share when I can.

Re: Prescreen & Opt-Out

Elstongunn — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 19:03:28 GMT

On 1/12/2014 dooBdoo said:
MaggieToo, I think this might be what you're referring to (I did it, and I think it's legitimate, safe, and I no longer get the unwanted offers):

____________________________________

Prescreened Credit and Insurance Offers

"...If you decide that you don't want to receive prescreened offers of credit and insurance, you have two choices: You can opt out of receiving them for five years or opt out of receiving them permanently.

To opt out for five years: Call toll-free 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688) or visit www.optoutprescreen.com. The phone number and website are operated by the major consumer reporting companies.

To opt out permanently: You may begin the permanent Opt-Out process online at www.optoutprescreen.com. To complete your request, you must return the signed Permanent Opt-Out Election form, which will be provided after you initiate your online request.

When you call or visit the website, you'll be asked to provide certain personal information, including your home telephone number, name, Social Security number, and date of birth. The information you provide is confidential and will be used only to process your request to opt out.

If you don't have access to the Internet, you may send a written request to permanently opt out to each of the major consumer reporting companies. Make sure your request includes your home telephone number, name, Social Security number, and date of birth..."

See complete info at: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0148-prescreened-credit-and-insurance-offers

What guarantees do they provide that your personal information, most importantly your SS#, will not be compromised or hacked?

I don't know...I realize that my personal info is already out there at financial institutions, in medical records, etc., but I'm not sure I'd want to spread it around to even more sites that can be hacked. Not sure why they'd want your SS# and date of birth...seems like the mailing address should be enough to remove it from their lists.

Re: Prescreen & Opt-Out

dooBdoo — Sun, 12 Jan 2014 19:16:04 GMT

I can understand how you feel, ktlynam. I'm extremely cautious about providing personal information, and I checked with a relative who's a respected financial adviser before we used the opt-out.

My understanding is that since they're the Consumer Credit Reporting group they already have our SSNs, etc., and for one thing would need it to verify we are who we say we are to process a request such as this one. But I might be wrong, and someone can correct me if so.

Everyone makes their own decision about these things, which is a very good thing.

Here's some of the info from their website and they also have extensive FAQs and their detailed privacy policy available.

________________________

"OptOutPrescreen.com is a joint venture among Equifax Information Services, LLC, Experian Information Solutions, Inc., Innovis Data Solutions, Inc., and TransUnion, LLC (collectively the "Consumer Credit Reporting Companies")"

https://www.optoutprescreen.com/opt_form.cgi