Teleconference call on Eliminating Unfair Credit Card Marketing   

Date: Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Time: 8am PST / 11 am EST
Length:
Location:
Address:

Contact: Ed Mierzwinski or Liz Hitchcock, Washington, DC
Phone: 202-546-9707 (X 314) or (X 316)
Email:
Cost: Free

Event Details

Group To Launch National Campaign To Eliminate Unfair Credit Card Marketing On College Campuses

What: National telephone news conference to announce campaign to eliminate unfair credit card marketing on college campuses. Campaign will include counter-marketing educational projects on 40 campuses across the country, a new website, a coalition urging colleges to adopt marketing principles, and publication of research reports on credit card marketing practices. This project of the U.S. PIRG Education Fund and participating PIRG student chapters is funded by the Ford Foundation.

When: Teleconference, 11 AM EST/8 AM Pacific, Wednesday, October 10.

Where: Call-In #: 1-800-351-6801 Password-193367
Screeners have instructions to admit only members of the media.

Who:

• Ed Mierzwinski, consumer program director of the U.S. PIRG Education Fund,
• Gwen Dungy, executive director, NASPA, Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
• Becky Timmons, assistant vice president of government affairs, ACE, American Council on Education,
• Matt Hamill, director of advocacy for NACUBO, the National Association of College and University Business Officers.

WHY: Credit card companies are targeting college students with enticing teaser offers for low-cost credit cards that turn into a credit card "trap" with high fees and penalty interest rates. Often, the card companies set up tables right on campus and hand out free gifts to applicants. The students, already facing high and increasing costs of education, may be misled into taking on high-cost credit card debt. The project will educate students about credit card practices and will urge colleges to adopt principles for responsible credit card marketing.

The U.S. PIRG Education Fund is the research and education affiliate of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. U.S. PIRG is the federation of state PIRGs, which take on powerful interests on behalf of the public. See www.uspirg.org.

The Student PIRGs pursue a dual mission of promoting the public interest while training students in civic leadership. See www.studentpirgs.org . Visit www.truthaboutcredit.org for more details about the campaign.

Event Sponsors

U.S. PIRG
 
 

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