Junk Mail Magic

Does the Do Not Call Registry stop paper mail?

No. The Do Not Call Registry is for telemarketing calls. For paper advertising, the route depends on the piece: a request to the sender, DMAchoice for certain prospect mail, or the prescreen opt-out for qualifying credit and insurance offers.

By Junk Mail Magic. Updated .

Match the mail to a route

  1. Pick one unwanted piece and identify its type: a catalog or promotion, a credit or insurance offer, or advertising from a company you already deal with.
  2. For a catalog, magazine offer or donation request from a sender you have no relationship with, read DMAchoice's current instructions.
  3. For a credit or insurance offer, check whether it says it is prescreened. Not every offer is.
  4. For mail from a company where you are a customer or donor, write to that company directly. DMAchoice does not cover that mail.

How the routes differ

Prescreened credit and insurance offers: the official prescreen service offers a five-year opt-out and a permanent opt-out. The permanent option requires returning a signed election form. It covers offers built from major credit-bureau lists, not all advertising. Opting out does not prevent you from applying for credit.

Catalogs and similar prospect mail: DMAchoice covers participating senders' catalogs, magazine offers, donation requests and retail promotions. It excludes nonparticipating senders, transactional mail, political mail and prescreened offers.

Any identified sender: a direct request can cover that company's own advertising, including mail to customers.

Three-row comparison

Example for your own use. Replace the bracketed details and review what you share.

Sales calls: [caller name] | Route: Do Not Call Registry | Checked: [date] Credit or insurance offer: [sender] | Says prescreened? [yes/no] | Route: [prescreen opt-out / direct request] Catalog: [sender] | Am I a customer? [yes/no] | Route: [DMAchoice / direct request]

Fill in the three rows

Choose one piece of each type you receive and fill in the comparison below. Then follow the official instructions for each piece's route. If a piece fits no program, send a written request to the company named on it.

Official sources

Combine mailing-list programs without duplicate workMake a free plan for contacting unwanted mail sendersChoose the right route for paper mail and email spamChoose five-year or permanent prescreen opt-outMailing-list programsAll practical mail guides

Choose the route that matches the mailing

Use the official route described in this guide for this kind of mail. For a separate ordinary advertisement, Junk Mail Magic can help prepare a sender-specific removal request.

Compare removal routes