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Have you applied for a mortgage and suddenly been flooded with offers, emails, and phone calls from other mortgage companies? If so, you are not alone! Creditors like to take full advantage of the federal law that allows them to access information that helps them identify potential customers and market to them. While it might be easy to assume that the financial institution you applied with is selling your information, that is usually not the case. That is especially not the case with Spero Financial.
There are other reasons why your mortgage application might be triggering other offers. The good news: there are ways to stop getting them if you so choose! Let’s explore what these messages typically look like and a few of the ways to stop them below.
So, what do these messages look like?
These marketing efforts usually are unsolicited calls, emails, or letters about competing offers that state you have been “pre-approved” for a line of credit. These offers are based on a set of criteria set by the soliciting company such as zip code, number of open lines of credit, or credit score which can all be located within your credit report.
Why do you receive these messages?
If you’ve recently applied for a mortgage, you know that the lender you apply with accesses your credit report. This inquiry actually shows on your report, letting other companies know that you are in the market for a home loan. Other lending companies buy this information from the credit bureaus and use it to target folks who they know are specifically looking for a loan - like you. While there are certain legalities surrounding this practice, it is legal as long as the lenders follow the federal laws in place!
How do you stop receiving this type of communication?
If you prefer to stop receiving these offers, there are a few ways to prevent them.
Call 1-888-567-8688 or visit optoutprescreen.com
By calling this toll-free number or visiting this website, you will be prompted to provide certain information that allows them to process your request to opt-out. While this information is held in confidentiality by the company, make sure the site is secure before entering all information. You can do this by ensuring there is a small lock icon on your browser or a web address that begins with https.
It is important to note that if you are applying for a joint mortgage, both people will need to opt-out to stop the offers. It may take up to two months for all offers to stop.
Join the federal government’s National Do Not Call Registry
You can do this by visiting donotcall.gov or calling 1-888-382-1222. This helps by reducing the number of telemarking calls you receive within 31 days of registering. While this is a great way to help get fewer telemarking calls, it doesn’t eliminate them all!
Make a call or send a letter/email to the credit bureaus
Simply communicating directly with the major credit bureaus will allow them to place a note on your record that prevents your information from being released to anyone without your permission.
