Preface: My dad has done ALL the mail for at least 12 months and he was sending EVERYTHING back in. Yes, filled out every survey, wrote a $5 or $10 check or whatever was needed to get "a gift". My mom passed in January 2025. I started pulling items out of the mail that were addressed to her (I was DPOA for her, am DPOA for him and he is executor of her estate, we are co-trustees on their Trust). I created a "redacted" death certificate - no SSN - which I print as many copies of as needed. I cut off the top piece that had "death certificate" and her name and address which the group already had. I open the mail, put the "donation slip" with her name circled and "Remove - deceased" AND that 1/4 sheet (at least for AZ that's all) of the death certificate - DO NOT send them any more info than they already have. I kept a list - almost 100 organizations now - and very little mail for my mother for the two weeks I was in AZ this month. I have the caregivers pulling her "excess" mail if they can do it without disturbing my dad - out of his sight. It's pretty easy to tell if it is important. All goes on my desk in the house office to process when I'm there the following month. For my mother-in-law, we had tried just putting "Deceased" and returning the mail, but only 1/2 paid any attention. It is three years later and my husband still gets mail for his mom. Ugh. Hence me trying something different and IT WORKED!
https://amlclists.com/search-lists/ American Mailing Lists Corp.
This site controls lots of sweepstakes and political mailings. Select a list, go to Contact Us, then go to Opt Out. You have to opt out of each one separately, but it worked for me.
Also see:
https://www.catalogchoice.org/
https://save-lists.com/
And sometimes there is a way to opt out in the small print of the mailing itself.
Even though I sent death certificates to the creditors and his bank, the bank is still sending mail.
If a self addressed stamped envelope was enclosed in the junk mail, I put as much of what they sent back into the envelope with the piece of paper that had her name and address on the top. I circled her name and address and then wrote, take me off your mailing list. Never heard from those people again.
If no envelope enclosed, I would email them telling them to remove Mom from their mailing list.
Do not make a change of address at the Post Office. Moms junk mail came to me with the new address on it. When I went on-line, there was her name with my address. Just make changes with who needs to know.
You can go here to have it stopped:
https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-stop-junk-mail
I no longer receive magazines, they sell your info. Charities also sell your info. Those contests to win something, sell your info. I only donate locally.
Dad sending something back with a check means they will hound him all the time and sell his info.
It is time for POA and time to take care of executive functions. They should now have only a small spending account and you should manage all other accounts as a POA; that means a GOOD document written by attorneys and a visit to their bank to make yourself the ONLY signee.
Other than simple making a change of address and trying to slip that through online, there is no other answer, and making that change is unlikely as is stopping phone calls. At some point they could LOSE EVERYTHING.
Please see an elder law attorney for options. If your parents are competent you may see them lose everything with this. If they are incompetent you can protect them. But it won't be easy. I am so very sorry.