You can stop most credit card offers by contacting the credit reporting agencies directly

Credit card companies buy lists of people from the three major credit reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — to decide who to mail offers to. To stop those mailings, you contact the agencies themselves, not the card companies. There are two ways to do this: the fast track through Equifax's opt-out service, or a permanent choice that lasts for life.

The fast track is called Equifax's opt-out service. You can call 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567-8688) or visit optoutprescreen.com. You choose whether to opt out for five years or permanently. The five-year option is the default — if you want permanent removal, you must check that box during the online process or say so on the phone. Either way, the credit agencies stop selling your information to credit card companies within about a week.

This process stops prescreened offers — the ones that say "You're pre-approved" or "Based on your credit profile." It does not stop offers from card companies you already do business with, offers based on your online browsing, or offers sent because you filled out a form somewhere.

Key Takeaways

  • Prescreened credit card offers come from lists the credit agencies sell, and you stop them by calling Equifax at 1-888-567-8688 or visiting optoutprescreen.com.
  • You can choose a five-year opt-out (the default) or a permanent one that lasts for life.
  • Opting out of prescreened offers does not stop offers from banks where you already have an account or offers triggered by your online activity.
  • To stop those, you contact the individual card companies directly and ask to be removed from their marketing lists.

The difference between prescreened offers and other offers

Not all credit card offers come from the same place. Prescreened offers are the ones that arrive in your mailbox saying something like "You're pre-approved for a $5,000 credit line" or "Based on your credit profile, you've been selected." These come from the credit agencies' lists. Opting out at optoutprescreen.com stops these.

Other offers come from different sources. If you have a checking account at Chase, Chase can mail you a credit card offer without buying your name from Equifax. If you visited a credit card company's website and clicked around, they can follow you with ads. If you filled out a form at a store or online, that company can send you offers. These are not prescreened offers, so the Equifax opt-out does not touch them.

The Equifax opt-out is the biggest single lever — prescreened mail is usually the largest volume of offers most people receive. But if you want to stop all offers, you need to handle the other sources separately.

How to opt out of offers from specific card companies

Once you have opted out of prescreened offers, you may still receive mail from card companies you already bank with or companies that have your information from other sources. To stop those, contact the card company directly and ask to be removed from their marketing list.

Call the customer service number on the back of your card, or find the company's customer service line online. Tell them you want to opt out of marketing communications — be specific and say you want to be removed from mail offers, email offers, or both. Ask them to confirm in writing or note the date and time of your call in case you need proof later.

Some card companies have online opt-out forms on their websites. Look for a link like "Manage Preferences," "Marketing Communications," or "Opt Out" in the footer of their site. You may need to log into your account to access it.

Stopping online credit card ads and email offers

Credit card companies also advertise to you online through ads on websites and social media. These ads are often based on your browsing history or information they already have about you. Stopping them requires a different approach than stopping mail.

For email offers, unsubscribe using the link at the bottom of the email itself — this is required by law. You can also contact the card company's customer service and ask to be removed from email marketing lists.

For online ads, you can use the Digital Advertising Alliance's opt-out tool at aboutads.info. This lets you tell participating ad networks not to show you targeted ads based on your browsing. It does not stop all ads, but it reduces the ones based on your online behavior. You can also adjust ad preferences in your Google account, Facebook account, and other platforms where you have an account.

What happens after you opt out

After you opt out of prescreened offers through Equifax, you should see a drop in credit card mail within one to two weeks. The reduction may not be total — some offers come from sources the opt-out does not cover — but the volume usually falls sharply.

If you chose the five-year opt-out, you will need to repeat the process in five years if you want to stay opted out. If you chose permanent opt-out, you do not need to do anything else. Keep the confirmation number or letter Equifax sends you in case you need to prove you opted out.

Opting out does not hurt your credit score or your ability to get credit. Credit card companies can still send you offers if you explore for credit or if you already have an account with them. The opt-out only stops the unsolicited prescreened offers.

Why credit card companies send so many offers

Credit card companies send offers because they work — enough people respond to make the cost of mailing millions of pieces worthwhile. They buy lists from the credit agencies because those lists contain people with credit scores in certain ranges, income levels, or credit histories that match the card's target customer.

The credit agencies make money by selling these lists. When you opt out, you tell them not to sell your information for this purpose. This is a legal right under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and opting out is free.

Even after you opt out, you may still receive some offers — from companies you do business with, from companies that obtained your information through other channels, or from companies that do not use the credit agencies' lists. But the bulk of prescreened mail should stop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to opt out with all three credit agencies, or just Equifax?

You only contact Equifax through optoutprescreen.com or the phone number. Equifax handles the opt-out request for all three agencies. You do not need to call Experian or TransUnion separately for prescreened offers.

If I opt out permanently, can I change my mind later?

Yes. You can call Equifax again or visit optoutprescreen.com and opt back in at any time. There is no penalty for changing your mind, and the change takes effect within about a week.

Will opting out affect my credit score or my ability to get a credit card?

No. Opting out only stops unsolicited prescreened offers. If you explore for a credit card yourself, the company will still pull your credit report and consider you. Your score is not affected by opting out of marketing lists.

What if I keep getting offers after I opt out?

Some offers come from sources the prescreened opt-out does not cover — companies you already bank with, companies that bought your information elsewhere, or companies that do not use the credit agencies' lists. Contact those companies directly to ask for removal from their marketing lists.

Is there a way to stop all credit card offers at once?

There is no single button that stops all offers from all sources. The Equifax opt-out stops prescreened mail, which is usually the largest source. For other offers, you contact individual companies, unsubscribe from emails, and adjust your online ad preferences. Together, these steps reduce most offers significantly.