Back in the day, the way we would communicate with friends and family who weren’t in our area was through letters, but in the age of the internet, we’re far more likely to send a text than a letter.
However, even with the internet, our mailboxes are as full as ever thanks to junk mail- so how can you get USPS to stop sending junk mail? If you’d like to find out, keep reading to see what I learned!
How Do I Stop Junk Mail From USPS In 2024?
The way to stop receiving junk mail from USPS depends on the type of junk mail you’re receiving as of 2024. For example, if you want to stop receiving advertisements, you can sign up for DMAchoice, which allows you to opt out of these mailings for $2. As well, if you want to stop receiving credit offers, you can call 1-888-5-OPT-OUT.
If you’d like to know more about why you receive so much junk mail from USPS, how to stop the post office from delivering junk mail and more, keep reading for useful facts and tips!
Why Do You Get So Much Junk Mail From USPS?
Unfortunately, USPS makes millions of dollars a year from sending out massive amounts of junk mail, which is done due to congress mandating that the post office try to either turn a profit or break even.
Since this mandate launched, USPS has begun working with companies to send out a variety of junk mail, including direct mail, credit offers, catalogs, donation solicitations, and political mail.
Direct mail is one of the biggest categories of junk mail and includes fliers, coupons, magazine offers, retail promotions, and business offers.
Credit offers are another big category of junk mail, and consist of offers from banks and other financial institutions with messages like “you’ve been pre-approved!” on the envelope.
Can You Stop The Post Office From Delivering Junk Mail?
Because the post office is working under a mandate that makes junk mail essential to their business, it’s extremely difficult to get the post office to stop delivering it.
Rather, it’s easier to contact the companies sending the junk mail directly if you wish to stop receiving it.
Nevertheless, there are some loopholes you can take advantage of if you’re having a hard time getting off the mailing lists of the companies who are sending the junk mail.
According to USC Title 39 – Postal Service, section 3008: Prohibition of Pandering Advertisements, you can fill out PS Form 1500, which can be found here, to stop receiving any mail you find to be offensive.
While this form and USPS statute are intended to protect recipients from unwanted pornographic advertisements, the title specifically states that it’s entirely up to the recipient’s discretion as to what mail they find offensive, meaning this form can be used for most junk mail.
To refrain from receiving such junk mail, fill out the form, attach it to the piece of mail you received, and fill out the mailer information.
USPS will send a cease and desist letter on your behalf to the mailer, and while it takes 30 days to kick in, if you receive any mail from that mailer after 30 days, the order has been violated and you have room to take further action.
How Do You Stop Junk Mail At The Source?
If you don’t wish to fill out an individual USPS form for every single piece of junk mail you receive, there are other options available that are more efficient and require less work.
In order to stop receiving direct mail junk mail, the best thing to do is to visit DMAchoice, which has flexible options that allow you to opt out of receiving direct mail you don’t want and continue receiving any mail you do want.
All you have to do is make an account and pay a $2 processing fee, and you can block direct mail to your address for 10 years.
It’s important to note, however, that this process can take up to 90 days to be entirely effective, so if you’re not seeing an immediate decrease in direct mail, there may simply be a delay.
Another popular junk mail category is credit offers, which are offers from banks and other financial institutions soliciting loans and credit cards.
If you want to stop receiving credit offers, you can call the toll-free number 1-888-5-OPT-OUT, or visit OptOutPrescreen.com.
To be taken off the list, you’ll have to provide some basic information, including your social security number, but all of this information is 100% confidential and allows you to opt out of credit offers for up to 5 years.
Just like with direct mail, there is a waiting period until you stop seeing credit offers in your mailbox, typically around 60 days, but after the waiting period you won’t receive any more junk mail for up to 5 years.
While both of these options will certainly help cut down on the junk mail you receive, they won’t stop all unsolicited offers. Therefore, be sure to contact any stores directly if you wish to be removed from their mailing list.
How Do You Stop Getting Other People’s Junk Mail From USPS?
If you’re receiving junk mail that’s addressed to someone who is no longer at your address, you can refuse the mail via USPS.
To refuse mail, write “Not At This Address: Return To Sender” on the envelope, and cross out the barcode at the bottom of the envelope to make sure human eyes see the message. Afterward, place the flyer back in your mailbox and a postal worker will return it for you.
If you want to know more, you can also read our posts on whether or not USPS sends text messages, what is USPS informed delivery, and what to do if a USPS package is misdelivered.
Conclusion
You can stop junk mail using a number of methods, such as filling out PS Form 1500, visiting the DMAchoice website or calling 1-888-5-OPT-OUT toll-free to be removed from the mailing list.
These above options will vary depending on the source of the junk mail you receive. Additionally, you may have to contact brands and companies directly to be removed from certain mailing lists.
