Elder fraud is a 36 billion dollar problem
Thieving fraudsters are making a business of taking advantage of older adults.
Almost 4 in 10 seniors are affected, losing over $36 billion each year to financial abuse.
And this isn’t only happening to the very old or those with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia – younger, more educated seniors are actually losing more money.
Did you know that the amount of junk mail your older adult receives is a sign of their fraud risk?
It means that their names are on multiple mailing lists that scammers can use to contact them.
To reduce their risk of getting scammed, we share 4 recommended options to get rid of your older adult’s junk mail.
Getting rid of junk mail might seem like a lot of work, but it’s well worth it if it protects your older adult from losing their life savings to fraud.
Reduce fraud risk by getting rid of junk mail
Putting a stop to the junk mail being sent to your older adult’s house is essential for reducing their fraud risk.
It also reduces the risk that someone with early dementia would repeatedly donate to multiple charities, sign up for many credit cards, or spend an excessive amount on catalog purchases.
4 options for getting rid of junk mail
We found 4 ways to get your older adult off of direct marketing mailing lists. They were recommended by a woman with a lot of experience.
She found and used these resources while on a mission to stop her grandmother’s flood of junk mail – 130 pieces each week!
Note: Don’t be discouraged if the junk mail doesn’t stop instantly. Most companies prepare their mailings months ahead of time, so it will take about 3 months to see a reduction.
1. DMAChoice
The junk mail expert says this is the #1 way to stop junk mail and that most people will only need to complete this form.
Registering with DMAChoice stops mail from companies that your older adult has never purchased from or donated to.
You could use the regular form or the one specifically for caregivers.
2. National Do Not Mail List
This is another company you can use to opt-out from junk mail. It’s not the same as DMAChoice so you could register with both organizations.
3. Opt-Out Pre-Screen (1-888-5-OPT-OUT)
This company stops credit card offers.
FYI: They will ask for a Social Security Number. The junk mail expert says this is legitimate because that’s the way credit bureaus identify people.
4. InfoCision
This is a telemarketing company, but they also manage mailing lists for their clients.
Call (330) 668-1400 or email infocis@infocision.com to request removal from their lists. This can also help reduce those relentless telemarketing phone calls.
Recommended for you:
- Financial Help for Seniors: Federal, State, & Private Benefits Programs
- Cost of Long Term Care: 5 Ways Estimates Help Seniors and Caregivers
- 8 Common Financial Scams Targeting Seniors
By DailyCaring Editorial Team
This article wasn’t sponsored and doesn’t contain affiliate links. For more information, see How We Make Money.
cee lee roo
Many great suggestions listed here beyond the Opt-Out Prescreen and DMA do-not-call / mail lists, which mostly only apply to NEW mail senders. Previous mailers already have the contact info and will continue to abuse it until aggressively asked to stop. By aggressively, follow the previous suggestions, such as: google the sender and go to the Privacy Policy link (usually at the bottom of their homepage) for the “stop mail / remove contact info / don’t share contact” protocol info (usually near the bottom of a lot of privacy policy disclaimer blather). Sometimes they’ll have an on-line opt-out form and many time they’ll have a contact email. Both usually work, though don’t give an important email address – such as work email – if at all possible, since high likelihood for abuse. It’s worth making a spreadsheet of your Stop Request activities, since most junkmailers pre-print several batches of mailings, so you’ll often get several more before they stop AND you’ll see the worst abusers, such as Veterans in Defense of Liberty (VIDOL) and National Cancer Center (NCC), both of whom are aggressively deceptive and abusive junkmailers of “you are already selected” sweepstakes scam purveyors.
NOTE: most post offices will NOT return bulk mail from charities or political offices and just throw this is trash. It is not effective to write “return to sender” and put it back in you mailbox, just as it is NOT effective to answer unknown phone callers and hit a number to be removed from their call list (they instead *star* your number as a live lead to be called more frequently and sold to other spam callers). Best to never answer or call back unknown callers – if important they’ll leave a pertinent voicemail.
DailyCaring
Excellent tips, thanks for sharing!
Norma Major
I hope some of these work without getting more. We receive over 150 a week and I have no time to for this chore. I have sent letters back telling them not to send more and they don’t listen. One week I sent out 150 do not send any more. I felt it wasn’t working. I don’t like giving out S.S. numbers either. Thank you for suggestions.
DailyCaring
Wow! That’s a lot of junk mail. Try suggestions #1 and #2 above and after about 3 months, you should see a reduction in the amount of junk mail.
Connie Nocks
My mom has been gone soon to be six years, Sept 20th! I continue to miss my mom and getting medicare advertisements six years later, after I have told them to take her name off!!! Medicare advertisers are so heartless and reduces me to tears when I get mail with her name on it.
DailyCaring
We’re so sorry for your loss. It’s terrible that these companies are still sending mail after you’ve requested removal from their mailing list. Hopefully some of the tips on this page can help.
Robwrt
Use your USPS informed delivery account to email each unwanted non-first class mailer (including past resident/deceased Individuals). Google the return address – a companies email is normally found in their privacy policy. If unable to locate an email – use the websites “contact us” option.
Be sure to attach the mailers image as reference.
Acxiom, Epilson, CatalogChoice
Nancy S
I agree, THANK YOU. My 84 yr old dad came to live with me 2 years ago and we had his mailing address changed to mine. As of todays date he averages 50 to 70 pieces of junk mail a day. No matter how many times I tell him that for every 1 survey, sweepstakes or donation he makes, 10 more takes its place. These people are getting rich off of selling his name and MY address. I tell him to think about what this is going to do to me when he is gone. I just want it to STOP. He is junking up my house because he feels the necessity to read every single piece.
DailyCaring
Wow, that’s a crazy amount of junk mail! We hope the tips in this article will significantly reduce the flood of mail.
Robert
Sign up for USPS informed delivery and email each sender a removal request – attach the mailers image as reference. Google the return address – a companies email is normally found in their privacy policy. Use the websites “contact us” option if unable to locate an email.
CatalogChoice is your new best friend!
Sharon T.
Thank you, thank you, thank you! My dad is 99, and my mom is 94. They get dozens of pieces of mail a day from these scare groups designed to make them feel the country/freedom isn’t safe, etc etc. I saw their tax returns, and they gave about $30,000.00 to various charities in 2018. It made me feel sick when I saw this. they just aren’t from a generation when things sent in the mail are NOT AUTOMATICALLY legitimate!!!
Finding this post has given me so much more peace of mind. I can’t overstate how beneficial your contribution here has been for me. 🙂
DailyCaring
It’s terrible that your parents have been flooded with junk mail 🙁 We’re so glad the article is helpful! Hopefully the tips in this article will reduce or stop those scams from arriving in their mailbox.
Robert
Sign up for USPS informed delivery and email each sender a removal request – attach the mailers image as reference. Google the return address – a companies email is normally found in their privacy policy. Use the websites “contact us” option if unable to locate an email.
CatalogChoice is your new best friend!
Aselin2
Mom has been getting 12 or 13 pieces of mail a day lately, and she doesn’t seem to understand that even giving half of the requested amount of money isn’t a good idea. I am starting to intercept mail and mail back a letter stating that she doesn’t get mail there anymore and use the reply envelopes (that the recipient has to pay for!) to do it. Here’s to hoping I can turn this around. Since Dad died it has been unbelievable.
DailyCaring
It’s great that you’re able to intercept this junk mail before your mom see it. Hopefully what you’re doing can help stop the mail. The tips above may also help to remove her name from the larger lists that often get sold to individual companies.
Diane
Thank you for these great resources. I was only aware of one of them. Although my dad has passed away, it makes me cringe to think of how easily he could have been scammed when he had dementia and was still living at home.
DailyCaring
I’m so glad this article is helpful! It’s good that your dad wasn’t taken advantage of 💜
Elizabeth Anderson
One thing I have done is type up a generic letter stating that the elder will no longer receive mail at the particular address and then take the reply envelopes from the ‘junk’ mail enclose a copy and mail it back. It may cost you a bit of postage but I have cut down my father’s mail by about 75%.
Connie Chow
Great idea, thanks for sharing Elizabeth!