A campain accross the United States is underway to stop credit card companies from tempting college students with plastic, according to media reports Friday.

boston (EON) - A campain accross the United States is underway to stop credit card companies from tempting college students with plastic, according to media reports Friday.

Organizers say companies are snagging desperate students with high interest rates.

The California Public Interest Research Group wants to eliminate what it calls unfair credit card marketing.

Cal-PIRG admits students may need credit cards, but still want colleges to take a more protective stance.

Even with small incomes and big bills, college students find credit cards attractive.

Local college student Monique Johnson has her share of messy credit card bills, and recalls being hooked on campus.

“It’s just they’re all over the place, in your face, and they really are trying to lure you in,” Johnson said. “You know, ‘Come on. Sign up for this just help us out,’ or they’ll say, ‘Help us out.’ Then you say OK.”

“I was 18, I bought [at] all the stores, like Macy’s, JCPenney and Mervyns,” said college junior Erica Gonzales.

More than a dozen states, including California, already restrict or ban credit card marketing to students on campus.

Off campus, young people are considered fair game.

Katy Hudson with Consumer Credit Counseling said students can be especially vulnerable.

“They’re not employed. Some of the tactics credit cards use to entice them, they may not fully disclose what they’re fully getting into,” said Hudson.

“It can be really tempting. There’s a lot of stuff out there that you can just buy, whatever you want,” said college freshmen Stephen McDaniel.

On average, college students graduate with a $4,000 credit card debt.

Visit TruthAboutCredit.org/action/sign-the-principles for more information.