Lenders reaching young adults on social media

Many young adults use credit cards during college as a way to buy books and supplies or keep up with tuition payments, which have the tendency to result in overdue credit card bills. When and if they fall behind, they will likely be contacted by debt collection agencies. Credit card lenders are trying a different approach to reach out to a younger set. The Wall Street Journal reported that many high-profile credit card lenders are now offering deals or tie-ins on social media websites. Contests tied to Facebook users who have "Liked" a company's page or deals offered to those who sync their credit card with one of the main social media platforms are among the bargains the source explained are being marketed to potential young consumers. Because of the two-year-old Credit CARD Act, the Wall Street Journal noted, these lenders are no longer allowed to market to a younger potential customer base by offering incentives on college campuses. The regulation, however, does not prohibit the use of social media platforms. Young professionals make up a large age bracket debt collectors have to contact to recover a business' lost funds. A 2009 Sallie Mae report found that only 17 percent of college students pay off their credit card balances each month and 1 percent have to rely on a parent, spouse or other relation to pay it off, while the rest fall into debt.