Media Coverage
Media Coverage
| Date | Media Coverage | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| May 11, 2011 |
''Study Finds Positive Results from Credit Card Law'' "Banks and some pundits had predicted that credit card users would face skyrocketing interest rates, a spike in annual fees and a plethora of other negatives after stringent new rules on cards kicked in last year." Source: The Associated Press |
|
| Jan 31, 2011 |
''Environmental Groups Get In Some Target Practice'' "The otherwise-routine reauthorization of the Consumer Product Safety Commission this year demonstrated the environmental movement's growing clout over the chemical industry. The new law, advocates say, reverses long-standing practice because it requires the chemical industry to prove the safety of some products before they reach the public." Source: National Journal |
|
| Jan 31, 2011 |
''Toxic Suspicions Could Fuel Regulatory Overhaul'' "Environmentalists want to ban BPA -- and also shift the burden of proof for all chemicals." Source: National Journal |
|
| Aug 24, 2010 |
"A new study from the Pew Health Group shows a growing number of low income and minority families are using alternative financial services instead of the traditional banking system." Source: National Public Radio |
|
| Aug 23, 2010 |
''Last phase of credit card reform law in place, taking aim at penalty fees'' "The sweeping reform of the credit card industry was finally completed Sunday as the last pieces of the landmark federal law designed to stop unfair or deceptive practices took effect." Source: The Washington Post |
|
| Aug 10, 2010 |
''Many shun bank accounts but pay more for financial services'' "Unbanked and underbanked consumers are also less likely to save, says Eleni Constantine, director of the Pew Health Group's Financial Services Portfolio. In a survey of low-income Los Angeles households, Pew found that more than twice as many consumers who had bank accounts said they were earning enough to pay their bills and save for the future than those who didn't have bank accounts." Source: USA Today |
|
| Aug 3, 2010 |
''Credit cards so far avoid worst-case predictions'' "The benefits of stricter credit card regulations appear to have come without the predicted drawbacks — at least so far." Source: knoxvillebiz.com |
|
| Aug 2, 2010 |
''U.S. Regulators Lack Data on Health Risks of Most Chemicals'' "This summer, when Kellogg recalled 28 million boxes of Froot Loops, Apple Jacks, Corn Pops and Honey Smacks, the company blamed elevated levels of a chemical in the packaging." Source: Washington Post |
|
| Jul 22, 2010 |
''New wave of credit card abuses'' "A 2009 federal crackdown on abusive credit card practices has exposed a litany of other ways consumers are being hosed." Source: CNN Money |
|
| Jul 22, 2010 |
''Pew: Law vanquished many credit-card ills, not all'' "There's good news for credit-card users, according to a report today from the Pew Charitable Trusts: As promised, many of the credit-card industry's best-known tricks and traps for consumers were vanquished by last year's credit-card law."
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer |
|
| Jul 22, 2010 |
''As credit card holders play it safe, issuers increase non-penalty service fees'' "A new study by the Pew Charitable Trusts found that annual fees and service fees have increased over the past year while penalty charges -- which are subject to the new federal regulations -- remained largely unchanged." Source: The Washington Post |
|
| Jul 22, 2010 |
''Credit cards not always clear on penalty rates'' "A study by the Pew Safe Credit Cards Project found that card issuers are complying with a new law this year that prohibits numerous deceptive practices. Previously, all card issuers tracked by Pew used at least one practice that is now illegal." Source: Associated Press |
|
| Jul 22, 2010 |
''Credit-Card Reform Succeeds in Ending Many Deceptive Practices, Pew Finds'' "Credit cards offered online by the 12 largest U.S. banks have eliminated some of the most troublesome practices for consumers, the Pew Charitable Trusts said. Increasing interest rates on existing balances for some infractions of the card agreements and applying payments to balances with the lowest interest rates first have ended, according to the report released today by the Philadelphia-based nonprofit organization. The study looked at almost 450 cards advertised by banks and credit unions and compared terms for cards offered in March 2010 and July 2009." Source: Bloomberg |
|
| Jul 20, 2010 |
''Report Measures Financial Habits of Low-Income Families'' "Half of low-income families in Greater Los Angeles turn to costly and unregulated alternative financial services (AFS) rather than banks to meet their monetary needs, according to a new survey released today by the Pew Health Group’s Safe Banking Opportunities Project" Source: Hispanic Lifestyle |
|
| Jun 22, 2010 |
''As Some Consumer Banking Fees Fall, Expect Others to Rise'' "Thanks to a series of laws passed by Congress and rules imposed by the Federal Reserve, fees for using credit cards and bank accounts have begun to decline appreciably, which is a real boon to consumers. The key question is: Will banks find other ways to hit customers with new charges to make up for lost profits?" Source: Daily Finance |
|
| Jun 17, 2010 |
''CARD act misses mark on interest'' "The Federal Reserve this week adopted rules meant to protect credit card holders from predatory penalty fees and other charges, but not everyone feels the agency went far enough." Source: New Haven Register |
|
| Jun 5, 2010 |
''High APR? Don't worry, you can still negotiate'' "In the never-ending battle between credit card companies and their customers over interest rates, consumers still hold at least some of the cards." Source: CNN Money |
|
| Mar 8, 2010 |
''Fed proposes rule to limit credit card fees'' "In the latest move to overhaul consumer banking practices, the Federal Reserve unveiled a preliminary rule last week to address pesky credit card fees such as late and over-limit charges. The rule — which will be finalized after the public is given a chance to comment — is as notable for what it doesn't do as for what it does." Source: USA Today |
|
| Jan 14, 2010 |
''Consumers score a win on credit card rules'' "Consumers scored a few unexpected victories in a set of Federal Reserve rules issued earlier this week. The Fed issued 1,155 pages of rules Tuesday telling banks how to comply with new laws regulating credit cards that go into effect on Feb. 22. In a handful of cases, in which the law was unclear, federal regulators used their discretion to go a step further to protect consumers." Source: CNN Money |
|
| Dec 2, 2009 |
''Credit card rates: Nowhere to go but up'' "For millions of credit card customers, here's the good news: As of Feb. 22, a new law will bar banks from a host of practices that consumer advocates have long blasted as unfair." Source: CNN Money |
|
| Nov 15, 2009 |
''Banks Revising Their Old Tricks'' "In some ways, credit card banks are hustling to act before new consumer rights take effect next year. In other ways, they're in no rush at all." Source: News Journal (DE) |
|
| Nov 8, 2009 |
''Credit card reforms mean mailings to consumers may include big change'' "A study by The Pew Charitable Trusts released last month found that advertised rates on about 400 credit cards this summer had jumped as much as 23 percent. In addition, the study reported that many issuers were shifting customers from fixed to variable rates, which would ease some of the notification requirements." Source: The Washington Post |
|
| Nov 5, 2009 |
''Programs aim to aid 'unbanked''' "Dozens of cities are launching programs to sign up low income people as customers at commercial banks so they can avoid the high fees typical of check cashing stores and payday lenders." Source: USA Today |
|
| Nov 4, 2009 |
''Credit-Card Company or Loan Shark?'' "A recent report done by the Safe Credit Cards Project at The Pew Charitable Trusts found that over the past four months, credit-card companies have routinely tacked on new fees, altered account terms, and jacked up interest rates, sometimes to as high as 30 percent." Source: Newsweek |
|
| Nov 4, 2009 |
''Credit Cards: Break Up, or Make Up?'' "Credit-card lenders, facing higher defaults and new, profit-crimping laws, have been increasing fees and interest rates, raising minimum payments and cutting credit limits. Some Citigroup Inc. customers have seen their credit limits cut, their interest rates jump as high as 29.99% or their cards canceled altogether." Source: Wall Street Journal |
