Blocking Credit Card Offers

Each day Americans retrieve mail from their boxes and sort through the stack, in efforts to separate items of importance from “junk” mail. Numerous credit card offers arrive whether you are looking for new accounts or not. The words “pre-approved” and “you've been accepted” are stamped across these envelopes, as you have probably met some sort of pre-screening requirement. However, they are no guarantee of credit. Plus, too many cards can even hurt your credit score. To block credit card offers and reduce both temptation and garbage waste, there a some actions you can take.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970 gives credit bureaus the ability to sell your credit history to credit card companies. Therefor, card issuers utilize this ability and cherry pick consumers they want to solicit for new accounts. In order to reduce the number of ads received, you can formally request that the credit bureaus stop including you on these pre-screened lists. In fine print, each credit offer will state information regarding how to go about this process. Be sure to include all 3 of the major credit bureaus when you take action.

Additionally, you can join the war against junk mail by taking those pre-paid reply envelopes, stuffing them with other junk mail, and placing them back in the box. The credit card companies will have to pay for that pre-paid postage and may find alternative methods of advertising if people do this enough. Then again, maybe not. However, it might make you feel better to know that the credit card company will be the one receiving the junk mail next time.

Blocking credit card advertisements not only prevents frustration, temptation, and paper waste, but can also protect you from identity theft. Card offers can be stolen and misused by others, resulting in a botched credit score. If you are genuinely uninterested in opening new lines of credit, you may want to send the word out.