Stop the junk mail! Enter the Direct Marketing Association

To stop junk mail, the single most important tool is the Direct Marketing Association's (DMA) Mail Preference Service (MPS). The DMA is the "hub" association for the vast majority of direct market advertising companies in the United States. When you register for this list, they will put you in a "Do Not Mail" file which is distributed to member direct marketing agencies quarterly.

It will cost you to join this list. But it costs only one dollar. The DMA does this so only people who are serious about being removed from the list actually do it.

You have two choices when you join this list.

The easier option:

Register online at www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailinglist. In the registration materials, they ask for your credit card information and will charge the $1 to the card. The DMA states that this option is faster than mailing in your registration.

The other option:

Mail in your letter (here's a sample letter- www.privacyrights.org/Letters/jm1a.htm) with your $1 check or money order to:

Mail Preference Service
Direct Marketing Association
PO Box 643
Carmel, NY 10512

By registering for this service, your junk mail will be greatly reduced in less than 3 months. This is because the DMA updates the file every month and then mails it out quarterly. Some direct marketing companies update the list monthly. However the maximum update interval is 3 months.

Who is not included in the Mail Preference Service?

• Companies you regularly do business with. (Because this creates a "business relationship" with them, so they can contact you, however you typically can opt out of direct mail upon signup). For example, many people in the U.S. do business with Walmart. If you have ever signed up for any service with Walmart, you may receive advertisements from them because you've created a "specific business relationship" with them.
• Some magazines
• Many charities
• Professional associations

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