You can stop unwanted solicitors by using the free opt-out built into each channel they use: register your number with the National Do Not Call Registry, reply STOP to marketing texts, unsubscribe from commercial email, opt out of prescreened credit offers, refuse unopened mail at your mailbox, and post a No Soliciting sign at your door. When a company ignores those steps, federal law lets you sue for $500 per unwanted call or text, and up to $1,500 if the violation was willful.
Phone Calls
Start with the National Do Not Call Registry. Registration is free, covers landlines and cell phones, and you sign up either at donotcall.gov or by calling 1-888-382-1222 from the phone you want to register.1Federal Trade Commission. National Do Not Call Registry Your number is active on the list the next day, and sales calls should drop off within 31 days. Registration is permanent unless the number gets disconnected and reassigned or you remove it yourself.2Federal Trade Commission. National Do Not Call Registry FAQs
The registry only blocks sales calls from legitimate businesses. Several categories are still allowed to call:
- Political calls
- Charitable solicitations
- Debt collection calls
- Surveys and polls
- Informational calls such as appointment reminders and flight notifications
None of those calls may include a sales pitch. The moment one does, the exemption is gone. Companies you’ve recently done business with, or given written permission to call, can also contact you, but they have to honor a request to stop. Note the date you asked so you have a record.2Federal Trade Commission. National Do Not Call Registry FAQs
Robocalls
A robocall that tries to sell you something is illegal unless the company got your written permission first, whether or not you’re on the registry.3Federal Trade Commission. Robocalls Consent to be robocalled can’t be a condition of buying anything.
Illegal robocallers ignore the registry, so call-blocking is your practical defense. Most carriers offer built-in spam filtering, and third-party apps can screen calls before your phone rings. When one gets through, report it at donotcall.gov with the number displayed, the date and time, and what the caller said.3Federal Trade Commission. Robocalls
Text Messages
Federal law treats marketing texts like marketing calls. Senders need your prior consent, and Do Not Call protections cover texts.4Federal Communications Commission. Stop Unwanted Robocalls and Texts You can withdraw consent at any time in any reasonable way.
Reply “STOP” to stop texts from a legitimate sender. If the number looks suspicious, don’t reply and don’t tap any links. Forward the message to 7726 (SPAM) to report it to your carrier.4Federal Communications Commission. Stop Unwanted Robocalls and Texts You can also block the number in your phone’s settings or file a complaint at fcc.gov/complaints.
The CAN-SPAM Act governs commercial email. Every marketing message must carry a working unsubscribe mechanism, and the sender has 10 business days to honor your request. After you opt out, the company can’t sell or transfer your address.5Federal Trade Commission. CAN-SPAM Act: A Compliance Guide for Business
Clicking “unsubscribe” works well for known brands and retailers. Be careful with unfamiliar senders. Phishing emails often disguise malicious links as unsubscribe buttons, so with anything that looks off, skip the link and mark the message as spam or junk instead. That trains your provider’s filters. Report persistent violators or scam emails at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Postal Mail
Credit and Insurance Offers
Prescreened credit card and insurance offers come from credit bureau data. Stop them at OptOutPrescreen.com or 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688).6Federal Trade Commission. What to Know About Prescreened Offers for Credit and Insurance Opting out by phone or online lasts five years. For a permanent opt-out, complete the initial request and then sign and mail back the Permanent Opt-Out Election form available through the same website or phone number.7Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Can I Make Issuers Stop Sending Me Credit Card Offers in the Mail? The service is run by the major credit bureaus and asks for your name, address, Social Security number, and date of birth.
Catalogs and Other Marketing Mail
The credit bureau opt-out doesn’t touch catalogs, local flyers, or mail from companies you’ve bought from before. Contact each sender using the customer service number on the mailing; most will remove you on request. You can also register with DMAchoice, run by the Association of National Advertisers, which notifies participating mailers that you want off their lists. Online registration is $8 for 10 years.8ANA. DMAchoice Registration Information
Refusing a Piece of Unwanted Mail
Write “Refused” on an unopened envelope and put it back in your mailbox. The Postal Service will return it to sender at no cost to you, but only if the envelope is still sealed. Once you’ve opened it, returning it costs you postage.9United States Postal Service. Customer Support Ruling PS-177
Door-to-Door Solicitors
A “No Soliciting” sign near your front door carries more weight than most people assume. Many municipalities require door-to-door solicitors to hold permits and follow rules on when and where they can knock. A visible sign puts them on notice, and in many places, staying on your property after being told to leave can become criminal trespassing.
You don’t owe anyone the door. A short “I’m not interested” through it is enough. If a solicitor refuses to leave after you’ve asked, call the non-emergency police line. Note the time, a description of the person, and any company name they gave. That helps code enforcement follow up, especially when the solicitor lacks a required permit.
Reducing Contact at the Source
Each opt-out above closes one channel, but the same databases feed every channel. Turning off the source thins the flow everywhere.
Data brokers compile and sell your name, address, phone number, and buying habits. Opting out used to mean chasing each broker down individually. Some states now offer centralized deletion tools that send one request to every registered broker at once. If yours doesn’t, you can still submit removal requests through the privacy or opt-out pages the major brokers post on their websites. Searching your name plus “data broker opt out” turns up the relevant forms.
If mail keeps arriving for a deceased family member, the Direct Marketing Association’s Deceased Do Not Contact list can help. Registration is free and adds the person’s name and address to a do-not-contact file shared with participating marketers.
When They Won’t Stop
A company that keeps calling or texting after you’ve told them to stop is exposed under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, which gives you a private right to sue in state court. You can recover $500 for each unwanted call or text, and $1,500 per violation if the court finds the conduct willful.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 47 USC 227 – Restrictions on Use of Telephone Equipment For someone who received dozens of illegal robocalls, the numbers add up quickly. You don’t have to prove financial harm; the statutory damages exist for that reason.
A lawsuit works when you can identify the company. Scam operations behind spoofed numbers are better handled through reports:
- FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov or donotcall.gov for Do Not Call violations, phone scams, and deceptive marketing.2Federal Trade Commission. National Do Not Call Registry FAQs
- FCC at fcc.gov/complaints for unwanted robocalls, spam texts, and telemarketing violations.4Federal Communications Commission. Stop Unwanted Robocalls and Texts
- Local police for threats, harassment, or suspected fraud tied to in-person solicitation.
Before you report or sue, collect specifics: dates and times, phone numbers or email addresses, screenshots of messages, and notes on what was said. Specific records help investigators and strengthen a civil case if you decide to file one.