You can stop most credit card offers by opting out through Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion

Credit card companies buy your name and address from the three major credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to send you offers. You have a legal right to stop this. The process is straightforward: you either call a single phone number that handles all three bureaus at once, or you visit a website where you can opt out for ten years or permanently.

The reason you get so many offers is that the credit bureaus sell lists of people who meet certain credit profiles — good credit score, low debt, stable payment history — to lenders who want to reach likely customers. Opting out removes your name from those lists. This does not affect your credit score or your ability to get credit when you actually want it.

There are two types of opt-out: temporary (ten years) and permanent. Most people choose permanent because they rarely change their mind, but you can switch back if you do.

Key Takeaways

  • Call 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688) to opt out of all three credit bureaus at once, or visit OptOutPrescreen.com to choose ten-year or permanent opt-out.
  • Opting out removes your name from the lists credit card companies buy, but does not lower your credit score or prevent you from getting credit when you apply.
  • You can opt out permanently, which lasts your lifetime, or for ten years, after which you would need to opt out again.
  • Opting out stops most credit card offers but not all — some lenders use other methods to find customers, and you may still receive offers from companies you already do business with.

The phone opt-out: fastest if you want it done today

Call 1-888-567-8688 (the number spells 1-888-5-OPTOUT). This is the official number run by the credit bureaus themselves. You will reach an automated system that asks whether you want to opt out for ten years or permanently. You do not need to speak to a person.

The call takes about two minutes. You will need to provide your Social Security number and date of birth so the bureaus can find your record. After you hang up, the opt-out is processed within a few days, though it can take up to two weeks for all three bureaus to stop selling your information to credit card companies.

This method works best if you want the process done immediately and do not want to create an online account. The downside is that you have no written record of what you chose unless you write it down yourself during the call.

The online opt-out: better if you want proof and control

Visit OptOutPrescreen.com, which is the official website for this process. You can choose to opt out for ten years or permanently. The site will ask for your name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number.

After you submit, you will receive a confirmation page that you can print or save. This gives you a record that you opted out and when. If you ever need to prove you took this step — for example, if you still receive offers months later and want to file a complaint — you have documentation.

The online method also lets you change your mind more easily. If you opt out for ten years and later decide you want to receive offers again, you can return to the site and reverse it. With the phone method, reversing requires calling back and going through the process again.

Why you might still get offers after opting out

Opting out through the credit bureaus stops prescreened offers — the ones based on your credit report. But some credit card companies use other ways to find customers. They might mail offers to everyone in a zip code, or they might send offers to people who already have accounts with them.

If you have a credit card with Bank of America, for example, Bank of America can still send you offers for their other cards even after you opt out through the bureaus. These are not prescreened offers; they are direct mail from a company you already do business with.

You can stop these by contacting the card issuer directly. Call the number on the back of your card and ask to be removed from their marketing mail list. Most large issuers have a process for this and will honor it within a few weeks.

Stopping offers from companies you do not recognize

If you are getting offers from a company you have never heard of, check whether it is a real lender or a scam. Legitimate credit card offers come from banks and credit unions you can verify. Scam offers often use official-sounding names or misspelled versions of real bank names.

If the offer is real, you can call the company's customer service number (from their official website, not from the offer itself) and ask to be removed from their mailing list. If it looks like a scam, throw it away and do not respond.

You can also report unwanted credit offers to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. This does not stop future offers, but it creates a record that helps the CFPB track which companies are mailing aggressively.

The difference between opting out and a do-not-mail list

There is no official "do-not-mail" list like the Do Not Call Registry for phones. Opting out through the credit bureaus is the closest thing for credit card offers specifically. It stops prescreened offers, which make up the majority of credit card mail you receive.

Some people register with DMAChoice.com, which is run by the Direct Marketing Association. This removes you from some direct mail lists, but it does not stop credit card offers the way opting out through the bureaus does. DMAChoice is useful if you want to reduce all kinds of marketing mail, but it is not the primary tool for credit cards.

What happens to your information after you opt out

When you opt out, the credit bureaus stop selling your name and address to credit card companies for prescreening purposes. Your credit report itself is not changed or hidden. Lenders can still see your credit report if you apply for credit, and they will still pull it to make lending decisions.

Opting out only affects the sale of your information for marketing lists. It does not affect your credit score, your ability to get a loan, or anything else about your credit profile. You are simply removing yourself from a marketing channel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does opting out hurt my credit score?

No. Opting out does not change your credit report or score in any way. It only stops credit bureaus from selling your name to credit card companies for marketing purposes. Your credit profile remains exactly the same.

Can I opt out just from one bureau instead of all three?

Technically yes, but it is not useful. All three bureaus sell prescreened lists, so opting out from only one still leaves your name available to credit card companies through the other two. The phone number and website handle all three at once, which is why most people use them.

How long does it take for the offers to stop after I opt out?

Most offers stop within two to four weeks. Some may take up to two months because companies have already printed and mailed batches before your opt-out reaches them. If you are still getting prescreened offers six months later, you can contact the credit bureaus to verify your opt-out went through.

What if I change my mind and want to receive offers again?

If you opted out for ten years, you can call 1-888-567-8688 again or visit OptOutPrescreen.com to opt back in. If you opted out permanently, you can still reverse it the same way. There is no penalty for changing your mind.

Do I need to opt out separately in each state?

No. Opting out through the national credit bureaus covers all states. You do not need to do anything state-by-state. The process is the same whether you live in California, Texas, or anywhere else.