Credit card issuers used to be able to inundate young adults with freebies ranging from pizza to T-shirts to persuade them to apply for cards. Now, the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act that went into full effect on August 22 has prohibited issuers from soliciting young adults. The law prohibits credit card companies from offering freebies to college students, in particular, directly on campus.

However, new reports show that young adults are still finding ways around the Credit CARD Act, and issuers are continuing to profit off of these applicants. More college students are having their friends who are 21 or older sign them up for credit, according to Public Radio International. The Credit CARD Act specifically notes that young adults must be at least 21 years old to apply for credit without an adult co-signer, or they must be able to prove that they have the financial means to repay debt in the future.

New restrictive legislation was developed to keep young adults out of credit card debt, which can help them avoid credit score damage as well. A report released by New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s office stated that the average student graduates with $4,100 in credit card debt on top of what they already owe in student loans. Americans collectively have $825 billion in credit card debt, according to the Federal Reserve, and many are still working on rebuilding their savings from the 2008 recession.

Experts say it is a growing problem that young adults are still finding ways to obtain credit, but the Credit CARD Act is not flawless. Beth Kobliner, a contributor to PRI, believes that giving parents the permission to sign their kids up for credit is a threat in itself. The Baby Boomer generation is primarily responsible for the economic downturn that led to the recession, PRI reports.

“Who got into this big trouble and led us into this recession in the first place?” Kobliner asked the news source. “The Baby Boomers racked up massive amounts of credit card debt and mortgage debt they couldn’t afford.”

Many parents who have tried to co-sign for cards for their children don’t meet the credit score requirements themselves, PRI notes. Parents who do qualify may end up tarnishing their own payment histories by co-signing if their children fail to make monthly payments on their credit cards.

Although there are a number of risks for young adults who are able to obtain credit, not everything about having a card is negative. Using plastic can help build a credit history over time. There are also positives to the Credit CARD Act that give consumers more protection against credit card companies.

Cardholders now have the option of having their purchases declined if they threaten to go over a set limit, as opposed to paying an overdraft fee. Late fees have also been capped at $25, but experts warn that consumers may be subject to an increase after six months if the cardholder is consistently delinquent on payments.

Bills that aren’t paid in a timely manner may also result in credit score damage. Lenders use credit scores to gauge whether a borrower will be able to repay debt in the future.