Law Office of Emily Gomez, LLC

05/11/2026

The Trader Joe’s receipt settlement is a useful reminder that consumer protection cases are often about risk, not just harm.

The allegation was that some receipts printed too many digits of customers’ payment card numbers, potentially exposing consumers to identity theft risk under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act. Trader Joe’s denied wrongdoing and stated there were no known fraud cases tied to the issue, but still agreed to a multimillion-dollar settlement.

That distinction matters.

A large part of consumer law is preventive. The legal system does not always wait for financial loss to occur before imposing obligations. In many areas, the focus is on reducing foreseeable risk before consumers are harmed.

What makes these cases interesting is that they often sit at the intersection of technical compliance and practical consumer expectations. Most consumers never think about how many digits appear on a receipt. But Congress decided years ago that limiting that information reduces the likelihood of fraud and identity theft.

So even when there is no allegation of actual misuse, the exposure itself can become the basis for litigation.

That framework reflects a broader principle in consumer law. Transparency and security obligations are often judged not only by outcomes, but by whether reasonable safeguards were followed in the first place.

04/28/2026

The lawsuit against OneMain Financial is worth paying attention to, not because it is unusual, but because it is familiar.

The allegations focus on something that shows up repeatedly in consumer finance. The base product is not the real issue. It is everything layered on top of it. According to the complaint, borrowers were steered into add‑on products that increased the total cost of their loans, often without clear disclosure or meaningful choice.

This is not a new theory of liability. Courts and regulators have been dealing with similar practices for years. What stands out is how persistent the model is, particularly in lending markets that serve higher-risk consumers.

There is a practical reason for that. Add‑ons can be more profitable and less visible than interest rates. They are harder to compare, easier to bundle, and often misunderstood by borrowers.

From a legal standpoint, these cases tend to turn on disclosure, consent, and whether the borrower was misled about what was optional.

From a broader perspective, they raise a more basic question. If the cost of credit is not transparent at the point of decision, can we really say the transaction is informed?

That question is not going away.

A group of state attorneys general is suing OneMain Financial, saying it tricks borrowers into paying for add-on products and hidden loan costs.

04/15/2026

Scamming Americans out of their hard-earned money is, unfortunately, a multi-billion dollar industry worldwide. Be very careful about either: (1) providing your financial details or (2) sending money to anyone you don't know - especially someone you haven't met in person. If cryptocurrency is involved, be even more suspicious. If you've been scammed, whether or not the law allows you to obtain relief generally depends on HOW the transaction took place. Give our office a call at (412) 378-5854 to learn more.

The United States, Britain and South Korea have joined a crackdown on groups running frauds from Southeast Asia. They have their work cut out.

03/19/2026

Errors on your credit report? At present, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is not being terribly active in either bringing enforcement actions or in helping consumers resolve credit report errors and other complaints. However, private attorneys are still able to help using a law called the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Give our office a call at (412) 378-5854, and let us see if we can help you.

The credit bureaus have started dismissing a larger share of consumer complaints without help since the Trump administration began dismantling the CFPB.

02/23/2026

This morning’s round of consumer law developments highlights how rights and risks are colliding in the financial ecosystem. A recent enforcement action by the CFPB against Equifax illustrates why accuracy in credit reporting matters far beyond a credit score. According to the bureau, flawed investigation systems allowed deleted errors to reappear on reports and misled consumers about the results of disputes. The $15 million penalty and systemic compliance requirements should remind lenders and servicers that data quality is a legal as well as a business obligation.

At the same time the FTC successfully halted a nationwide phantom debt collection scheme, drawing attention to how deceptive practices continue to upend consumer financial lives. Bogus threats of legal action and credit damage used to coerce payment of fake debts are not yesterday’s problems. They are active consumer injury points that regulators are still stopping in court.

And it is not just regulators acting. Recent litigation data shows that consumer lawsuits under credit reporting and debt collection statutes are climbing sharply. What this means for practitioners is clear: accuracy, transparency, and compliance are nonnegotiable. Monitoring dispute processes, debt‑collector communications, and litigation trends will be essential in 2026 to protect consumers and manage risk.

02/07/2026

Has you or someone you know experienced a "zombie" mortgage coming back to life? These are mortgages that were taken out decades ago, stopped being enforced, and folks thought they were gone. In some instances, creditors have been lying in wait, hoping that a home will appreciate enough to make it worth foreclosing on. If you have had a zombie mortgage surface, reach out to our office at (412) 378-5854 to learn more about your rights.

They’re called “zombie mortgages” — debts that homeowners thought were forgiven long ago, only to learn that they still exist and could cost them their homes...

11/25/2025

Be careful about using BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) loans to do your online shopping. Starting soon, use of these loans will begin impacting your credit score. While using them is tempting, it's easy to rack up a lot of debt and not notice until the payments become unmanageable. Be judicious with your spending, and as always, check your credit score regularly to make sure that there's nothing on there that shouldn't be. See something strange that doesn't belong? Give our office a call at (412) 378-5854.

FICO announced earlier this year that consumers' credit scores would start taking into account Buy Now, Pay Later loans this fall. Here's what to know.

10/09/2025

Going through challenging financial times? Forced to rack up debt? If that's the case for you, don't beat yourself up about it - these are stressful times and things cost more than they used to. There's also more than one way to handle the problem of unmanageable debt, whether that's bankruptcy, defending collection lawsuits, or entering into payment plans. Call our office at (412) 378-5854 to learn more.

Financial educators bust three common myths about credit card debt — and explain why these negative assumptions can hold us back from making smart money decisions.

09/03/2025

It shouldn't need to be said, but be very careful in disclosing personal information, especially sensitive financial information, online. In 2024 Americans over the age of 60 were scammed out of approximately 5 billion dollars, according to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint center. Scams ranged from romance scams, to scams involving internet security breaches, to phishing, or to government impersonation scams. While these are challenging situations, there is sometimes recourse if you did not authorize whatever payments were made. Call our office at (412) 378-5854 to learn more.

Online scams cost Pennsylvanians $400 million last year, the FBI said in an annual report.

06/16/2025

The cost of living these days is no joke. If you're struggling to make ends meet and have been living on credit cards, DON'T BLAME YOURSELF. There are ways to deal with accounts that have fallen behind, whether it's personal bankruptcy, fighting debt collection lawsuits, or negotiating payment plans. If any of this sounds like your situation, reach out to our law office at (412) 378-5854; we'd be happy to see if we can help.

A single adult earning less than $80,000 per year cannot afford to live comfortably in a single U.S. state, a new report found.

05/16/2025

Are you struggling to make your credit card payments? Here in Pennsylvania, we are in a region that struggles with high levels of consumer debt. If you're at the point of being harassed by calls or being sued, it's time to call a lawyer. Our office both defends people in collection lawsuits (yes - you may have defenses), and helps people file for bankruptcy. Call our office today for a free consultation, to see what might be right for you.

As more Americans turn to credit cards to make ends meet, these are the regions with the most credit card debt.