New Anti-Predatory Ad Campaign Unveiled

A new advertising campaign tied to Freddie Mac's "Don't Borrow Trouble" initiative has been launched in North Philadelphia and other target neighborhoods to help families avoid falling prey to unscrupulous lending practices.Freddie Mac announced the new ad campaign in Philadelphia at its second annual Don't Borrow Trouble summit in conjunction with Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street, Pennsylvania Secretary of Banking A. William Schenck, and officials from Citizens Bank. The October ad blitz, called "Protected by Knowledge," will include billboards on buses, subways, and elevated cars, ads in community newspapers, and a door-to-door campaign in areas hit hard by predatory lenders, Freddie Mac said. Secretary Schenck summed up the message of the campaign: "If a loan comes looking for you, don't do it. If you have questions, don't sign it." Freddie Mac began launching local "Don't Borrow Trouble" efforts in 2000, and Philadelphia's began in June 2002. Freddie Mac can be found online at http://www.freddiemac.com.