I recently received an e-mail from a WTOP listener asking about opting out of prescreened credit card offers. So it’s time we provided you with an update on this issue.

The Federal Trade Commission has made it easier for you to stop all those offers of credit cards and insurance that arrive in your mailbox. A new regulation requires that all senders of these letters notify you that you have the right to stop receiving them.

While this option has existed for some time, potential creditors were not required to tell you about it. Now they have to tell you that you can opt out of receiving future offers by calling a number or writing to a specific address. This info can’t be in print so fine that you need a magnifying glass to read it.

To opt out of these prescreened offers call 1-888-5-OPTOUT. One call reaches all three credit bureaus.