Credit card companies control people through debt. Once they have you signed up, with a high credit limit, they know they have you for life. 83% of all undergrads have a credit card, according to a study by Nellie Mae. They hook students with slogans like "build your credit now" and by advertising the card like it's your gateway to independence. It's not. Students who want a credit card should make the decision on their own, not because of overly aggressive, quasi-legal telemarketing campaigns.
Students moving to a new area for college, or those lucky enough to get on-campus housing at increasingly space-crunched college campuses, should take advantage of the National Do Not Call list as soon as they move. An unscientific study conducted on my residents when I served as an RA found that out of 100 students, almost none of them knew the list existed. The National Do Not Call list also covers your cell phone, making it worth the five minutes it takes to register and enter your numbers.
Find further information on the Do Not Call list and how students can protect themselves from telemarketers and other nuisances at the Direct Marketing Association website.
Article comments
1 - Dr. Juliann Mitchell, PhD
Very informative article Brandon. Thanks! In the last six months I have been inundated with calls, sometimes three or four a day about my Vehicle Warranty. It's hilarious because I drive a ten year old Subaru and the warranty expired eons ago.
2 - Brandon M
Just glad to help!
3 - Joanne Huspek
What is really annoying is when your phone company sells your name to telemarketers. That happened to me last month, when we switched phone companies. I have heard of people who sued the telemarketers and won damages in court, although I'm not sure what kind of expenditure of time that takes.