Opting Out of Prescreened Offers
Avoid Unwanted Solicitation Calls (Trigger Leads) or Mailings
As your trusted financial partner, Paper City Savings Bank strongly encourages our customers to Opt-Out of Prescreened Offers BEFORE applying for credit.
Trigger leads occur when a consumer applies for a loan, and the inquiry to credit by the lender is a trigger that notifies the credit bureau that the consumer is interested in applying for financing. Trigger leads are then sold by the credit bureaus to data brokers (including other lenders) without the consumer's knowledge or approval. Consumers are then often bombarded with several telemarking (robo) calls that confuse consumers and seek to lure them away from their chosen lenders.
Can I opt out of getting these credit and insurance offers?
Yes. You can decide that you don't want to get prescreened offers of credit and insurance in the mail. If you want to opt out of those offers, you have two choices:
- Opt out for five years
- Go to optoutprescreen.com or call 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688). The major credit bureaus operate the phone number and website.
- Opt out permanently
- Go to optoutprescreen.com or call 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688) to start the process. To complete your request, you’ll need to sign and return the Permanent Opt-Out Election form (which you get online) once you’ve started the process.
When you call or visit optoutprescreen.com, they’ll ask for your personal information, including your name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth. The information you give is confidential and will be used only to process your request to opt out.
Why would someone opt out — or not?
Why opt out? Maybe you’re not looking for a new credit card or insurance policy, you want to limit access to your credit report information, or you want less clutter in your email or mailbox. Keep in mind that if a company’s offer isn’t based on prescreening, opting out won’t stop their mailings.
But there also might be reasons you do want these offers, especially if you’re in the market for a credit card or insurance:
- These offers can help you learn about what's available, compare costs, and find the best product for your needs.
- Since you were pre-selected to get the offer, you can be turned down only under limited circumstances.
- The terms of prescreened offers may be more favorable than those available to the public. In fact, some credit card or insurance products may be available only through prescreened offers.
If I decide to opt out, how long will it be before I stop getting prescreened offers?
Requests to opt out are processed within five days, but it may take several weeks before you stop getting prescreened offers. This is because some companies may have gotten your information before the site processed your opt-out.
Will calling 1-888-5-OPTOUT or visiting optoutprescreeen.com stop all unsolicited offers of credit and insurance?
No. Calling the opt-out line or visiting the site will stop only prescreened offers that are based on lists from the major credit bureaus. You may keep getting offers for credit and insurance based on lists from other sources. For example, opting out won't end requests from local merchants, religious groups, charities, professional and alumni associations, and companies that you already do business with. To stop mail from groups like these—as well as mail addressed to "occupant" or "resident"— contact each source directly.
