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My FAQ's

Opt-Out FAQ

What is Electronic Opt-Out for Five Years? Opting-Out refers to the process for removing your name from lists supplied by the Consumer Credit Reporting Companies, Equifax, Experian, Innovis and TransUnion, to be used for firm (preapproved / prescreened) offers of credit or insurance. Your rights as a consumer under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) include the right to "Opt-Out" for 5 years or permanently.

By choosing the five year Opt-Out option, you can complete your request on this secure website. Your name will not be eligible for inclusion on lists used for firm offers of credit or insurance for five years.

Through this site, the Consumer Credit Reporting Companies are providing consumers with an easy and convenient way to exercise their right to Opt-Out for 5 years. This service is not intended for businesses or companies.

What is Permanent Opt-Out by Mail? Opting-Out refers to the process for removing your name from lists supplied by the Consumer Credit Reporting Companies, Equifax, Experian, Innovis and TransUnion, to be used for firm (preapproved / prescreened) offers of credit or insurance. Your rights as a consumer under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) include the right to "Opt-Out" for 5 years or permanently.

If you choose permanent Opt-Out, you must "confirm" your request in writing by submitting a signed Permanent Opt-Out Election form. At the time that you submit your electronic request, you will receive a confirmation that you should print along with the Permanent Opt-Out Election Form. You may begin the permanent Opt-Out process on this secure website, however, in order to complete your request, you must return the signed Permanent Opt-Out Election form. The Permanent Opt-Out Election form will be provided to you after you initiate your request on this website. In the interim, we will complete a 5 year Opt-Out request on your behalf within 5 business days. We will make your request permanent when we receive your signed Permanent Opt-Out Election form.

Through this site, the Consumer Credit Reporting Companies are providing consumers with an easy and convenient way to initiate their right for permanent Opt-Out. This service is not intended for businesses or companies.

Why do I need to print and mail a Permanent Opt-Out Election Form in order for my permanent Opt-Out request to become effective? Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), upon receipt of a notice from a consumer, the Consumer Credit Reporting Companies, Equifax, Experian, Innovis, and TransUnion, are required to exclude a consumer's name from the firm (preapproved / prescreened) lists that they provide in connection with a credit or insurance offer that is not initiated by a consumer. The FCRA requires that the consumer submit a signed notice of election (Permanent Opt-Out Election form) for a permanent Opt-Out request. In the interim, we will complete a 5 year Opt-Out request on your behalf within 5 business days. We will make your request permanent when we receive your signed Permanent Opt-Out Election form.

Through this website, you may initiate a Permanent Opt-Out request. At the time that you submit your electronic request, you will receive a confirmation that you should print along with the Permanent Opt-Out Election Form.

What is Opt-In? Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), Equifax, Experian, Innovis, and TransUnion, are permitted to include your name on lists used by creditors or insurers to make firm (preapproved / prescreened) offers of credit or insurance. If you have previously completed a request to Opt-Out from receiving firm offers, you must complete a request to Opt-In to begin receiving offers again. You do not need to complete a request to Opt-In if you have not previously submitted an Opt-Out request.

What is a firm (preapproved / prescreened) offer of credit or insurance? A firm offer of credit or insurance is defined as any offer of credit or insurance to a consumer that will be honored if the consumer is determined, based on the consumer's credit report, to meet the specific criteria used to select the consumer for the offer, subject to certain confirmation requirements.

I submitted an Opt-Out request several weeks ago and I’m still receiving offers? Even though your request becomes effective with Equifax, Experian, Innovis and TransUnion within five days of your request, you may not see an immediate reduction in the amount of offers you receive. This is because your name may have already been provided to some companies that have not yet mailed their offers to you.

While your name will be removed from the lists that Equifax, Experian, Innovis and TransUnion provide to businesses for the purpose of making you a firm offer of credit or insurance, you may continue to receive offers from sources that do not use Consumer Credit Reporting Companies to compile their lists.

You may not Opt-Out from Direct Mail Association (DMA) lists through this website.

The DMA tracks consumers who prefer not to receive mail or telephone solicitations. The DMA can provide information about Opting-Out of lists produced by companies that subscribe to its Mail and Telephone Preference Services.

I’ve submitted Opt-Out requests through this website and to the Direct Mail Association (DMA), but I’m still receiving offers. Opting-Out will not end solicitations from all local merchants, religious and charitable associations, professional and alumni associations, politicians, and companies with which you conduct business. To eliminate mail from these groups - as well as mail addressed to "occupant" or "resident" - write directly to each source.

I am concerned that you do not have my correct address for my phone number. I called your Opt-Out telephone number and, after entering my home telephone number, the system provided me with an address that is not mine. Is this the address that is on my credit report? No, the Opt-Out telephone application has a feature where we can match your telephone number to an address database. The vendor who supplies this database obtains their information from a variety of proprietary sources and there is not a record of who provides each address in the database.

The address database that is part of the Opt-Out telephone application is not obtained from the Consumer Credit Reporting Companies, Equifax, Experian, Innovis and TransUnion. An address that is associated with your telephone number in this database has no relationship with the address on record with the consumer credit reporting companies. Opt-Out does not have access to the consumer credit reporting company’s records.

Does exercising my right to Opt-Out affect my ability to apply for credit or insurance? No, removing your name from these lists for firm offers of credit or insurance does not affect your ability to apply for or obtain credit or insurance.

Does Opting-Out improve my credit score? No, since inquiries for firm offers for credit or insurance are not used in calculating credit scores, Opting-Out does not improve your credit score. Similarly, inquiries for firm offers for credit or insurance do not reduce your credit score.

How do I stop receiving mail at my address for another party? We suggest several steps to stop mail for an individual who does not live at your address.

  1. The United States Postal Services has set policies on refusing mail that is sent to your address. Visit http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm300/508.htm#wp1045146 to review these policies.
  2. Call the company who sent you the mail and tell them that the person is not at your address.

I would like to submit an Opt-In or Opt-Out request for other members of my family. Is this permitted? No. You may only submit an Opt-In or Opt-Out request for yourself and/or for third parties for whom you are the legal parent, guardian, executor, administrator, etc.

How do I complete an Opt-In request by mail for a child under 13 years of age? The Consumer Credit Reporting Companies will not accept Opt-In requests for persons under 13 years of age.

How do I complete an Opt-Out request by mail for a child under 13 years of age? The Consumer Credit Reporting Companies do not knowingly maintain credit files on minor children. If you suspect that your minor child's information has been used fraudulently, you should contact the Consumer Credit Reporting Companies directly and report the illegal use of your child's information to law enforcement. If you want to complete an Opt-Out request for your minor child because of concerns relating to fraud, please supply each Consumer Credit Reporting Company with your child's complete name, address, date of birth and a copy of the minor child's birth certificate and social security card. Additionally, please provide a copy of your driver's license or other government-issued proof of your identity, which includes your current address so the Consumer Credit Reporting Companies may promptly respond to your request. The addresses for the Consumer Credit Reporting Companies are listed below:

Equifax
P.O. Box 740256
Atlanta, Georgia 30374

Experian
P.O. Box 9532
Allen, Texas 75013

Innovis Consumer Assistance
P.O. Box 725
Columbus, OH 43216-0725

TransUnion
P.O. Box 6790
Fullerton, CA 92834

My spouse is deceased. How do I stop receiving mail that is addressed to them? We suggest several steps to stop receiving mail that is addressed to your deceased spouse.

  1. To eliminate firm offers of credit or insurance for your deceased spouse, please click here. This will enable you to request that Equifax, Experian, Innovis or TransUnion no longer use your deceased spouse’s credit file for firm offers of credit or insurance.
  2. Contact your deceased spouse’s creditors directly. Contact the company that sent the mail to your deceased spouse and request that they stop sending mail to your deceased spouse.

How do I stop receiving solicitation telephone calls? Please visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website for information on how to stop solicitation telephone calls. www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/tcpa.html

How do I stop receiving telephone calls for a person who does not live with me? Please visit the Federal Trade Commission’s website for more information on how to stop unwanted telephone calls. www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/tcpa.html

How do I contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)?
Federal Trade Commission
Consumer Response Center
Room 130
600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20580
www.ftc.gov/credit

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