Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele filed what officials called Pennsylvania's first consumer protection actions against digital payday lenders on Monday, Sept. 28, targeting apps MoneyLion and Dave.

The civil suits allege both companies charged fees and "tips" on short-term cash advances that effectively functioned as high-interest loans, with costs that exceeded the state's legal lending limits "often by hundreds of percentage points," according to The Reporter. Traditional payday lending has long been illegal in Pennsylvania because of the debt cycles it creates for people living paycheck to paycheck.

The lawsuits are part of a new joint consumer protection partnership between the DA's office and the county solicitor's office, announced the same day by Steele and the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. Vice Chairman Neil Makhija called it "the first long-term partnership on consumer protection that we're aware of," speaking to the Philadelphia Inquirer on Sept. 28.

More than a million Pennsylvanians have used the MoneyLion and Dave apps, Makhija said. County officials said they hope to learn through the litigation how many Montgomery County residents were affected. Neither MoneyLion nor Dave returned requests for comment, the Inquirer reported.

The law firm Berger Montague represents the DA's office in both cases.

Makhija said the effort would not drain county funds. The county budgeted for the partnership in its 2026 district attorney's office budget, and Makhija said recovered funds from the cases could sustain the work going forward.

"These cases pay for themselves: You're addressing harm and you're able to recover funds to continue the work," Makhija told the Inquirer. "This is not a cost sink for the county."

Makhija also said the partnership is especially important as residents struggle to cover everyday costs, noting that some companies see that pressure as a chance to profit.

The partnership extends beyond payday lending. Officials also announced actions involving hidden-fee allegations against ticket reseller Vivid Seats, pricing practices for insulin medications and a federal lawsuit filed Aug. 11 against social media companies Meta, Snap, TikTok and Google over youth mental health, according to the county's announcement.

No court dates have been set. Residents can email [email protected] to report issues or submit tips about consumer protection cases.