New Law Protects Students from Credit Card Rip-Offs

This year, a new law went into effect that stops credit card companies from tricking people into a downward spiral of credit card debt.  The Credit CARD Act protects students from shady on-campus marketing, puts limits on insane interest rates, bans unfair billing practices, and requires fairer fees and better disclosure about fees and penalties.  Read what's in it for you.

OSPIRG staff and students across the country worked for over a decade to build support for these reform ideas.  We launched a national campaign and hired professional staff to work for us in Washington DC and coordinate the work of students around the country.  We wrote reports and guide books for students showing how students were getting ripped off by credit card companies, we got reporters to relentlessly cover the issue, including the New York Times and we pressed lawmakers to pay attention to the problem.

Below is one of our campus events educating students about how to avoid the credit card trap, OSPIRG students meeting with Senator Ron Wyden on campus, and OSPIRG’s National Consumer Program Director, Ed Mierzwinski, testifying before Congress on behalf of Oregon students.