Tampa lawyer for debt lawsuits, credit reports & bank fraudA company broke the rules and it cost you. You don't pay me unless you win.*
Debt collectors, credit bureaus, banks, payment apps, landlords, and businesses all have laws they must follow with you. When they don't, consumer protection laws let you sue, and many of those laws let a consumer who wins recover attorney's fees from the company. That is how you can hire a lawyer with nothing up front.
- Licensed in Florida
- Free, confidential review
- Cases anywhere in Florida
No attorney's fees or costs owed to me unless you recover. If a case is lost, a court can sometimes order the losing side to pay the other side's costs or fees. Applies to consumer protection claims. Debt lawsuit defense is priced case by case, in writing, before you sign. How it works
You're being sued for a debt
- Court papers from a debt buyer or bank
- A debt you don't recognize, or that's very old
- Your pay or bank account is being taken
Your credit report is wrong
- The bureaus "verified" an error you disputed
- Someone else's debts are on your report
- A background check cost you a home or job
Your bank won't give your money back
- Unauthorized debit card, ATM, or ACH transfers
- Zelle, Cash App, or Venmo account takeovers
- A fraud claim denied with no real explanation
Your landlord kept your deposit
- No written notice of a claim within 30 days
- Charges for ordinary wear and aging
- No response after you moved out
A business lied to you
- False promises about what you were buying
- Hidden fees or charges you never agreed to
- A car dealer misrepresented the car or the deal
New to this? Start here
What is consumer law? The rules companies must follow with you.
Consumer protection laws are federal and Florida statutes that control how businesses treat ordinary people: what credit bureaus can report about you, what your bank owes you when money is stolen, what a landlord must do with your deposit, and what a seller can and can't tell you. Here is how a case works, in three steps.
The company had a duty
A specific law told the credit bureau, bank, landlord, or business what it had to do: fix a proven error, investigate a fraud claim, return a deposit on time, or tell you the truth.
It broke the rule, and you paid for it
Denied credit, stolen money, a kept deposit, hidden charges, hours of stress. The law lets you sue for your losses, and some laws add statutory damages on top.
The law helps pay for your lawyer
Many consumer laws let a consumer who wins recover reasonable attorney's fees from the company. That is why these cases can be taken on contingency.
*No attorney's fees or costs owed to me unless you recover. If a case is lost, a court can sometimes make the losing side pay the other side's costs, and under some Florida laws, like the security deposit and deceptive practices statutes, their attorney's fees. I walk you through that risk before anything is filed. Applies to consumer protection claims. Debt lawsuit defense is priced case by case, in writing, before you sign.
How it worksWhy these cases can be brought
Big companies count on you giving up. The law planned for that.
Few people can pay a lawyer by the hour to fight over a $1,500 fraudulent transfer or a $900 deposit. These laws set out specific duties, give consumers the right to sue when those duties are broken, and put real consequences on the table.
Per consumer for willful violations, or actual damages if greater, plus punitive damages and reasonable attorney's fees.
15 U.S.C. § 1681nAvailable when a bank doesn't provisionally credit your account within 10 business days and didn't investigate in good faith, or when it knowingly and willfully denies a valid claim.
15 U.S.C. § 1693f(e)A landlord who wants to keep any part of a deposit must send written notice by certified mail (or agreed e-mail) within 30 days after the lease ends, or lose the right to take it from the deposit.
Fla. Stat. § 83.49(3)(a)What happens when you reach out
From "is this worth it?" to a plan, in plain English.
Tell me what happened
Use the free case review form or call. Share the basics and any letters, statements, or reports you have.
Get a straight answer
Your documents and deadlines are reviewed, and you learn whether the law gives you a claim, and why or why not.
You decide
If there is a claim, you get the options, the timeline, and a written fee agreement. On consumer protection claims, you don't pay me unless you win.
I take it from there
I deal with the bureau, bank, landlord, or business and their lawyers, from a demand letter to a lawsuit if it comes to that.
Your attorney
Consumer protection is my focus.
I started McMillan Law for the cases that are easy to dismiss as too small: the wrong account on a credit report, the transfer a bank won't return, the deposit a landlord decided to keep. They aren't small to the people living them.
Jackson McMillan, founding attorney
What to expect
Clear answers, clear fees, no runaround.
No fee unless you win
No attorney's fees or costs owed to me unless you recover. The case review is free.
Straight answers
If I don't think you have a claim, I'll say so and explain why, so you can decide what to do next.
Everything in writing
Your fee agreement spells out every term, including what happens if you lose, before you sign.
Deadlines first
Some of these claims expire in a year or less. The first thing I check is how much time you have.
Where I practice
Based in Tampa. Cases anywhere in Florida.
McMillan Law is a Tampa law firm for people anywhere in Florida who are being sued over a debt, have a wrong credit report, or lost money to bank or payment app fraud. I also handle security deposit and deceptive business cases, from Pensacola to Key West.
Most cases can be handled by phone, video, e-mail, and document upload. In-person meetings in Tampa are available by appointment.
- Tampa
- St. Petersburg
- Clearwater
- Brandon
- Lakeland
- Sarasota
- Orlando
- Jacksonville
- Miami
- Fort Lauderdale
- West Palm Beach
- Fort Myers
- Gainesville
- Tallahassee
- Pensacola
- Anywhere in Florida
Common questions
Before you reach out
I'm being sued for a debt. What should I do?
Don't ignore it. Read the court papers for your deadline, which in many Florida cases is 20 days after you were served, and get help right away. Ignoring a lawsuit usually leads to a judgment that can be used to take money from your paycheck or bank account. See being sued for a debt.
How can I hire a lawyer with nothing up front?
You don't pay me unless you win. I take these cases on contingency: no attorney's fees and no case costs owed to me unless you recover money. If a case is lost, a court can sometimes order the losing side to pay the other side's court costs, and some Florida laws, including the security deposit and deceptive practices statutes, also let the winner recover attorney's fees from the loser. I explain that risk before anything is filed, and every term is in a written agreement before you sign. See how it works for the details.
What is consumer protection law?
It's the set of federal and Florida laws that govern how businesses treat ordinary people: credit bureaus and lenders, banks and payment apps, landlords, sellers, and car dealers. These laws set specific rules, and many let you sue when a company breaks them.
Can I really sue Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion?
Yes. The Fair Credit Reporting Act lets consumers sue a credit bureau that doesn't follow reasonable procedures to keep reports accurate, or that doesn't reasonably reinvestigate a dispute. It also lets you sue the bank, lender, or collector that supplied the bad information if it fails to investigate a dispute the bureau forwards to it.
My bank says the transfer was authorized because the thief had my card or login. Is that the end of it?
Not necessarily. Under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act and Regulation E, a transfer made by someone who got your card, PIN, or login through fraud or theft is generally treated as unauthorized. Payments you were tricked into sending yourself are treated differently, and the details matter, so it is worth having a lawyer look at the denial.
How long does a Florida landlord have to return a security deposit?
Fifteen days after the rental agreement ends if the landlord isn't claiming any of it. To keep some or all of it, the landlord must send written notice within 30 days, by certified mail or by e-mail if you both signed an e-mail agreement. A landlord who misses that deadline forfeits the right to take anything from the deposit under section 83.49(3)(a), Florida Statutes. The deadline calculator will work out your dates.
A business lied to me about what I was buying. Is that illegal?
It can be. Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act makes unfair and deceptive business practices unlawful and lets a consumer who lost money because of them sue for actual damages. See deceptive business practices.
How quickly do I need to act?
Sooner is better. A lawsuit under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act generally must be filed within one year of the violation. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the limit is two years from when you discover the violation and no more than five years from when it happened. Your right to object to a landlord's deposit claim lasts only 15 days after you receive the notice.
Free case review
Find out where you stand. You don't pay me unless you win.*
Tell me what happened and send what you have. You'll get a plain-English answer about whether the law gives you a claim and what the next step would be.
*Consumer protection claims: no attorney's fees or costs owed to me unless you recover. Debt defense is priced case by case. Confidential, no obligation.