Flitter Milz Attorneys meet with JAG officers at local bases to discuss Military Consumer Law
This past summer our attorneys visited Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey and Dover Air Force Base in Delaware to educate military lawyers (commonly known as Judge Advocates General or “JAGs”) about common scams targeting servicemembers and how consumer protection laws exist to give our men and women in uniform some measure of relief.
Scams to our Servicemembers
Young and impressionable servicemembers often become targets of scammers. Factors such as reliable pay checks and great military benefits, as well as being subject to sudden deployment and relocation, make servicemembers easy prey for payday lenders, buy-here-pay-here auto dealers, and sub-prime finance companies.
The Law is on your side
Fortunately, the “Military Lending Act” places caps on interest rates to be charged, mandates certain disclosures, and prohibits the use of arbitration clauses in credit agreements. A violating seller can face punitive damages and having to pay the servicemember’s attorney fees.
The “Servicemembers Civil Relief Act” or SCRA provides additional protections. It says a creditor may not take a default judgment against an active servicemember. SCRA requires a landlord abide protections for leasing rentals to active military, and empowers courts to stay (or temporarily halt) certain foreclosure and repossession proceedings. The servicemember can also seek damages and their attorney fees for a violation.
Consumer Protection Laws for Servicemembers
Of course, all the other consumer protection laws Flitter Milz, PC routinely uses are also available to servicemembers. We have had military clients utilize the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to remedy errors on their credit profiles that kept them from getting a promotion or security clearance. Others have used the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) to stave-off harassing collection attempts and repos. Over all, we have helped thousands of consumers get relief from abusive commercial practices.
Seek Legal Help at No Cost
Flitter Milz is a nationally recognized consumer protection law firm that assists servicemembers who have become victim to credit reporting privacy and accuracy violations, abuse from debt collectors, and vehicle repossessions by aggressive lenders and repo agents.
If you’re a servicemember who has been exposed to unfair, fraudulent or deceptive conduct by a business, CONTACT US for a no cost consultation. We may be able to help.
Pictured above: Attorneys Cary Flitter (center), Andy Milz (left), Jody López-Jacobs (right).
