Do You Have a Junk Mail Problem?
Information
Getting Off Mailing Lists
To receive less commercial advertising mail, you can register for The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) Mail Preference Service (MPS), which allows you to "opt out" of national mailing lists. Please note, The DMA does not provide marketers with consumer mailing lists or do consumer mailings. Rather, the Mail Preference Service is available to companies for the sole purpose of removing your name and address from their mailing lists. This service does not apply to mail sent to your business address.
What are the expected results?
When you register with MPS, your name and address are placed on a "do-not-mail" file. All DMA members are required to run their list of prospective customers against the MPS file, to remove the individuals who have registered with MPS from their mailings. The service is also available to non-members of The DMA, so that all marketers may take advantage of this service to eliminate the names of those who wish to receive less unsolicited mail.
Your name remains on file for ten years. Typically you will see the amount of mail you receive begin to decrease approximately three months after your name is entered. You are likely to see the impact of MPS faster if you register online than if you mail in your registration. Also, if you move, you must register your new address with MPS to have it affect your new address.
Although registration with MPS will help to reduce the amount of unsolicited mail that you receive, it will not stop all unsolicited mail. You may continue to receive mail from companies with which you already do business and from non-DMA organizations which do not use MPS. In addition, you may continue to receive mail from local merchants, professional and alumni associations, political candidates, office holders and mail addressed to "occupant" or "resident."
How to register for MPS
You may register at https://www.dmachoice.org/register.php. There is a $2 charge if you apply on-line and a $3 charge if you mail in your registration.
Iowa Legal Aid provides help to low-income Iowans.
To apply for help from Iowa Legal Aid:
- Call 800-532-1275.
- Iowans age 60 and over, call 800-992-8161.
- Apply online at iowalegalaid.org