Unwanted catalogs: Getting off all those mailing lists

Tammie, like many people, receives catalogs she doesn’t want. Lots of them.

She wants to know: How did these guys find her? And what can she do to get rid of them?

Finding people is the easy part. Marketers routinely buy and sell mailing lists. There are also list brokers who make a living selling consumers’ contact info, sliced and diced into every possible demographic and personal interest.

ASK LAZ: Smart answers to consumer questions

Getting rid of an unwanted marketer can be a chore. You can contact each one individually, but once your name and address are out there, they’re out there.

Here’s a tip: Go to DMAchoice.org, a website run by the Direct Marketing Assn., which says it can provide one-stop shopping for removing your name from marketers’ lists.

Is this foolproof? No. Junk mail will still slip through. But it can at least provide a new layer of defense.

If you have a consumer question, email me at asklaz@latimes.com or contact me via Twitter @Davidlaz.