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Identity theft is becoming such a big concern since it's happening more and more these days. In 2005, 9.3 million people were victims of identity theft--that's 4.25 percent of the U.S. population. One way that identity thieves find your information is by stealing discarded junk mail from your trash or even right out of your mailbox. And marketers who want to send you all those pieces of junk mail get your information when you shop online or apply for a loan. When you apply for a mortgage, the lender must pull your credit report to find out how credit-worthy or risky you are as a borrower. Once this is done, the three credit reporting bureaus, TransUnion, Equifax and Experián are allowed to sell your personal information-your name, address, date of birth, Social Security number and debt information-to any marketer willing to buy it. But fear not, there are ways to fight this: 1. Call 888-O-P-T-O-U-T
The first thing you should do is to call 888-O-P-T-O-U-T. You can have your name removed from future marketing lists either for five years or permanently. The credit reporting bureaus are required by law to remove your name from these lists once you opt out. 2. Go Directly to the Source
You can also contact the three credit bureaus directly to have your name removed from their lists. If you go to www.optoutprescreen.com, you may be charged a $5 fee to have your name removed. However, it's free if you call 888-O-P-T-O-U-T. If you don't want to go online or call 888-O-P-T-O-U-T, you can write to the three credit reporting bureaus: Experián
901 West Bond
Lincoln, NE 68521
Attn: Consumer Services Department TransUnion
Name Removal Option
P.O. Box 505
Woodlyn, PA 19094 Equifax Inc.
P.O. Box 740123
Atlanta, GA 30374-0123 3. Contact the Direct Marketing Association (DMA)
Another way to have your name removed from future marketing lists is to contact the Direct Marketing Association. You can have your name removed from mailing lists as well as telemarketing lists. Write to: Mail Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 1559
Carmel, NY 10512 Telephone Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
P.O. Box 1559
Carmel, NY 10512 4. Register with the "Do Not Call" List
Lastly, you can register your phone number with the Federal Trade Commission's national "Do Not Call" registry. Go to www.donotcall.gov or call 888-382-1222 from the telephone number you want removed. This may take up to 31 days as this is the amount of time telemarketers have to delete your number from their lists. It's important to protect your personal information whenever you shop online or are getting a home loan. If you take the right steps, you can reduce the chances of your identity being stolen and even to reduce the amount of annoying junk mail and telemarketing calls you receive.
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