HOW TO DETER UNSOLICITED CREDIT OFFERS

The following is summarized from "Prescreened Offers of Credit and Insurance: Facts for Consumers" posted on the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website: (www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre17.shtm)

• Lenders and insurers may use information from your credit file to send unsolicited offers of credit to you.  This practice of soliciting potential customers is known as “prescreening”.
• Consumers can “opt-out” of receiving these offers by calling a toll-free number: (888) 567-8688 (1-888-5-OPTOUT).  The number is operated by four major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, Innovis and Trans Union.
• The phone number has an automated system that instructs callers to leave their name and address as well as the names and addresses of any other persons the caller wishes to exclude from the credit bureaus’ mailing lists.
• You can also opt-out by accessing the OptOutPrescreen.com website: (www.optoutprescreen.com/?rf=t) Once you complete the opt-out process, you will be excluded from the credit bureaus’ preapproved credit offer mailing lists.  However, you may continue to get marketing mail from companies who do not use credit bureau data to compile lists.
• This practice will not prevent credit bureaus from releasing credit information. The Fair Credit Reporting Act allows credit information to be released only to people with a legitimate business need.  As examples, a company can obtain a credit report if you apply for credit, insurance, employment or to rent an apartment.

TO FIND PROVIDERS IN CONNECTICUT'S COMMUNITY RESOURCES DATABASE: Search by service name: Unsolicited Advertising Opt Out Assistance

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SOURCES: Agency listings in 2-1-1 database; Federal Trade Commission website
PREPARED BY: 211/pt
CONTENT LAST REVIEWED: June2012