Personal Finance & Consumer Rights Blog


This blawg keeps consumers in touch with the latest consumer news and trends. It also provides tips on avoiding scams, protecting your identity and being a savvy consumer.

Author: Sonya Smith-Valentine is a solo practitioner with offices in Rockville and Greenbelt, Md.

Blawg Related Categories: Consumer Law • Solo / Small Firm • Legal Information

Recent Posts from Personal Finance & Consumer Rights Blog


  • Should I Consider Filing for Bankruptcy?

    Bankruptcy is a legal process which can provide you relief from some or all of your debts.  Millions of Americans have used this process to wipe the slate clean and get a new start to…

  • If You Can’t Make Your Mortgage Payments…

    Don’t ignore the problem.   The farther behind you are, the harder it is to catch up and it becomes more likely that you will lose your home.  Make sure to contact your lender as soon…

  • $1.7 Million Judgment Issued Against Payment Processor

    A federal court has ordered a payment processor to pay over $1.7 million in redress and to end its illegal practice of debiting consumers’ bank accounts without authorization.  (A payment processor is a middleman between merchants…

  • New Partnership Between Trans Union and FDCPA Case Listing Service, LLC

    Trans Union will begin offering data from FDCPA Case Listing Service to provide additional information to its clients.  The new service allows Trans Union to alert collectors about accounts that may have been previously involved…

  • Credit Repair Companies Ordered to Change Its Practices

    A federal court has ordered a credit repair operation and its principals to stop making false claims and requiring advance payment for credit repair services. The agreed-upon court orders are a result of a settlement…

  • No More Arbitration for Bank of America

    Bank of America announced that it is no longer requiring its customers to resolve disputes using mandatory arbitration.  This decision applies to the bank’s consumer credit cards, auto loans, mortgages and deposit accounts.  The change…

  • Supreme Court Throws Out Identity Theft Conviction of Illegal Immigrant

    A unanimous Supreme Court ruled recently that illegal immigrants who use phony IDs can’t be considered identity thieves without proof they knew they were stealing real people’s Social Security and other numbers. The court’s decision limits federal…

  • Consumer FDCPA Cases Prompts New Service for Debt Collection Companies

    With FDCPA cases against debt collectors hitting a record high in 2008, a new service has appeared for the collection agencies and is attracting a lot of attention from the industry.  Two new companies (WebRecon…

  • FTC Trying to Stop Illegal Calls Pushing Vehicle “Warranty” Extensions

    The Federal Trade Commission is asking a federal court to shut down a telemarketing campaign that has been bombarding consumers with millions of allegedly deceptive “robocalls” in an effort to sell them vehicle service contracts under the…

  • Survey on Credit & identity Theft

    I am holding a survey to find out more about what topics are important to you.  Please take a minute to participate in a short 5 question survey on credit and identity theft.  http://tinyurl.com/l9jz7f  Your answers…