Credit bureaus sell the names and other information of people to the mailing lists, who in turn send unsolicited mails to them. People who want to stop receiving credit card applications can use 1-888-567-8688. This is the toll free phone number called the Opt Out Request Line and by calling this number a person can have his name or address permanently removed from all the marketing lists. This Opt Out Request Line is for the three credit report bureaus, Equifax, Trans Union and Experian, and Consumer Credit Associates. It is also possible to opt for this service for a period of two years, which can be renewed at any time.
It is also possible to write to certain addresses with all the personal details to be put on the opt-out list of Direct Mailing Association (DMA) to stop receiving direct mails and phone calls for credit cards. Once a person is put on this list, he or she remains on it for the next five years.
It is necessary to put a stop to receiving unsolicited pre-approved applications, as they not only add to the junk mail received by a person but may also become a cause for identity theft. If such a pre-approved application that a person has discarded, is found by someone, he or she may impersonate that person and receive a credit meant for that person. This leads to a lot of problems for the person, whose identity has been stolen such as ruined credit rating and fraudulent charges on the account.