Press Release  AG Healey Meets with Plymouth Students to Discuss Student Debt and Financial Literacy

Boston — In observation of National Consumer Protection Week Attorney General Maura Healey today visited Plymouth North High School to discuss with students issues like college loans and student debt, common financial scams targeting young people and how to protect themselves against fraud.

“Students need the tools to make smart financial choices because those decisions can follow them for years,” AG Healey said. “Our office is working to keep young people safe by taking on predatory businesses that target students and providing educational resources to schools and families.”

Following a tour of the school, AG Healey took part in an interactive discussion with seniors and student leaders. The discussion focused on the importance of financial literacy as it pertains to the financing of student loans, applying to college and maintaining good credit. During the discussion AG Healey also spoke about the recent work being done by her office to help students avoid scams involving for-profit schools. The AG’s office this week launched a revamped webpage  to help students and their families navigate their higher education options.

More than 100 students, class officers, and student leaders participated in today’s discussion. Local elected officials were also in attendance.

In recent years, the Attorney General’s Office has taken action against the for-profit school industry for misrepresenting job placement numbers and using deceptive enrollment tactics including a $3.75 million settlement with Salter College. In an effort to better educate consumers the AG’s Office launched Eliminate Deceptive Education Business Tactics (D.E.B.T.), an extensive consumer protection campaign with free educational trainings across the state and a new website offering resources for consumers related to for-profit schools. In June 2014, the Attorney General’s Office announced the finalization of new for-profit and occupational school regulations to better protect students from potentially unfair or deceptive practices.  

The AG’s Office in Boston, along with regional offices located in Springfield, Worcester and New Bedford, offer many services that can help consumers with their problems, questions, and concerns, along with materials and information available on the website about debt collection, credit reporting, credit card costs, landlord/tenant rights, retails rights, identity theft, gift certificates and consumer credit. Students and consumers seeking additional information are advised to visit the Attorney General’s website.

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