Student Consumer Action Network
Don't Get Ripped Off
Our economy needs to be fair to consumers in order to function. While a company may make a short-term profit from ripping off consumers or putting an unsafe product on the market, it's not good for anyone in the long term.
After Wall Street practices brought down the entire U.S. and parts of the world economies, Congress finally stepped up in July 2010 and created the Student PIRG-backed Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), a new agency that will act as a counterbalance to the banks and ensure that the credit cards, mortgages, and student loans that consumers use are safe and easy to understand. When you have a complaint about a bank or credit card company, you can call on the new CFPB.
Our consumer program works to protect consumers by:
- Alerting the publice to hidden dangers, scams, and unsafe products
- Educating consumers about the choices available by conducting price surveys of various products and services available to students in an effort to allow them to the make the best choices for themselves.
- Educating consumers about their rights in the marketplace by producing consumer guides to help people navigate the marketplace.
- Advocating for change by working to build the support it takes to pass consumer protection legislation in our states and in D.C.
As students, we're particularly vulnerable to some specific consumer issues:
2012 has already brought a Get Involved!
Work on important issues, learn valuable skills, get hands-on experience, and make a difference.
Latest Reports
- Trouble in Toyland
- Toward Common Ground: Bridging the Political Divide to Reduce Spending
- Big Banks Bigger Fees: A National Survey of Bank Fees and Fee Disclosure Policies
- The Cost of Repeal for Young Adults: Examining the Impact of Repealing the New Federal Health Care Law on Young Adults
- Risking Our Future Middle Class
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CALPIRG students asking Governor Jerry Brown what his plan is to make higher education more affordable. -
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We collect petition signatures - lots of them! -
CALPIRG’s Energy Service Corps: UCSD students working to engage students and the community about living sustainably at home via energy efficiency. Hello Wall-E. -
Hunger and Homelessness intern Roua Aboukhadijeh collecting interview footage on campus for a short film on poverty. -
Six media outlets covered a stop on the Textbooks Rebellion tour to promote affordable alternatives to outrageously expensive textbooks. -
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Vote Yes for OSPIRG! -
Power Shift West 2009 organizers with State Representative Jefferson Smith. -
Students campaign for High Speed Rail. -
Fast Trains ARE Cool. -
Students volunteer at a local garden for the National Hunger Cleanup. -
University of Oregon students and staff remind their peers to turn in their ballots on election day. -
Students at Southern Oregon University gather petitions to reduce plastic bag usage in the city of Ashland. -
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Volunteers wear the textbook mascot costumes to educate students about affordable textbook alternatives. -
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Students posing with the textbook Rebellion books, We Want Cheaper TEXTBOOKS!! -
UCSD CALPIRG’s Protect Our Oceans Campaign. We want to stop the continued plastic pollution of our oceans. Join us! -
UCSD students posing with Charlie the CFL after pledging to save energy in 1 to 4 ways at home. -
Textbook Rebel and Mr. $200 drew attention to outrageous textbook prices. -
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Students educate others about different ways to reduce energy. -
The Energy Efficiency campaign tabling to give away free CFLs and educate others about simple ways to reduce energy use. -
Student leaders educate the campus about income inequality during National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. -
MaryPIRG students collect canned food for the Canpaign at UMD. -
