CS-2026-3093 - Tinker Federal Credit Union v. Samuel M Pantoja

What's This Case About?

Let’s be real: nobody expects a full-blown court case over a credit card bill that’s less than five grand. But here we are, in Oklahoma County District Court, where Tinker Federal Credit Union has officially sued Samuel M. Pantoja—not for murder, not for fraud, not even for stealing office supplies—but for failing to pay his Visa Signature balance. Yes, this is a lawsuit over $4,742.80. And not only that, but the credit union brought receipts. Actual, certified, notarized receipts. Including a Status Report from the Department of Defense confirming Mr. Pantoja is, in fact, not currently serving in the military. Because when you’re chasing down a delinquent credit card payment, you don’t mess around—you dot every i, cross every t, and make damn sure Uncle Sam isn’t about to swoop in with the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act.

So who are these people? On one side, we’ve got Tinker Federal Credit Union—yes, named after Tinker Air Force Base, which makes sense because it was originally founded to serve military personnel and their families. It’s the kind of institution that prides itself on community, trust, and offering slightly better interest rates than the big banks. They’re represented by Jeffery S. Ludlam, a lawyer from Hall & Ludlam, PLLC, who probably handles more debt collection cases before lunch than most of us handle emails. On the other side: Samuel M. Pantoja, a 51-year-old laborer or freight worker (his job title is delightfully vague) who, as of 2018, earned a solid $74,000 a year working at Tinker AFB. He lives in Edmond, Oklahoma, rents his home, and—according to his application—has a relative named Matthew Pantoja who also lives in OKC and, presumably, is on speed dial in case of emergencies. Or lawsuits.

The story begins, like so many American tragedies, with a credit card application. On December 8, 2018, Samuel filled out the paperwork for a Visa Signature card with a requested credit limit of $5,900. He was approved—though the final limit was set at $5,500—and by December 18, the account was open. Fast-forward to October 28, 2025, and the balance has ballooned to $4,742.80. Payments were made—his last one was $100 on October 25, 2025—but not enough. The account was 120 days delinquent. Interest was piling up at a rate of $1.95 per day. And TFCU, being a responsible financial institution (and possibly under pressure from its own auditors), decided it was time to stop sending polite reminders and start filing petitions.

Now, you might think: Wait, can they really sue someone just for not paying a credit card? And the answer is—yes, absolutely. But not without jumping through a few legal hoops first. The claim here is “breach of contract,” which sounds dramatic but really just means: “You signed a thing saying you’d pay us back, and you didn’t.” That’s it. No embezzlement, no identity theft, no secret offshore accounts. Just a man, a credit card, and a growing balance he failed to settle. The contract is Exhibit A, the DoD verification is Exhibit B, and the whole thing is wrapped up with a bow of legalese and a prayer for “judgment” (lawyer-speak for “please make him pay”).

What’s especially wild is how thorough TFCU was. They didn’t just assume Samuel wasn’t in the military—they checked. Kristian Maher, a Collections Legal Specialist (a title that sounds like it was invented by a satirical news site), swore under penalty of perjury that she reviewed the Defense Department’s database and confirmed Samuel was not on active duty, hadn’t been within the past 367 days, and hadn’t received orders to report. This is all thanks to the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, a law designed to protect active-duty troops from financial penalties while they’re defending the country. It’s noble. It’s important. It also means that before suing anyone with a vaguely military-sounding name or connection to a base, you have to prove they’re not protected. So yes—this is a debt collection case with national security protocols.

And what does TFCU want? $4,742.80, plus interest, plus attorney’s fees, plus collection costs. Is that a lot? In the grand scheme of civil lawsuits, no. You could buy a decent used car for that. Or pay off a year of student loans. Or fund a very nice wedding. But for a credit card balance? It’s not chump change, but it’s not “I bought a yacht on credit” territory either. The real kicker? Samuel’s available credit was still $757 when the account was frozen. He wasn’t maxed out. He wasn’t even close. Which makes you wonder: did he just stop paying? Did he forget? Did he think the card was a gift, not a loan? Or did life just happen—job loss, medical bills, a sudden urge to buy 15 pounds of cat food on Amazon—and he fell behind?

Here’s the thing: we don’t know. The filing doesn’t say. There’s no dramatic backstory, no accusation of fraud, no claim that Samuel went on a spending spree at Neiman Marcus. Just a balance, a breach, and a demand for payment. And yet, the machinery of justice rolls on. The court clerk stamps the file. The lawyer files the petition. The credit union checks its boxes. And somewhere in Edmond, Oklahoma, Samuel Pantoja probably just got served with a lawsuit over a credit card he may not even remember using.

Our take? The most absurd part isn’t that someone got sued for $4,700. It’s that none of this is surprising. This is how the system works. Credit unions, banks, collection agencies—they don’t send flowers. They don’t host intervention-style sit-downs. They file petitions. They attach affidavits. They invoke 12 O.S. §936 (which allows for attorney’s fees in contract disputes, in case you were wondering). And they do it with the cold precision of a spreadsheet come to life.

But here’s where we side-eye the whole operation: TFCU made $600.45 in interest that year alone. They’re not exactly bleeding out here. And yet, they’re spending legal fees to chase down a customer who once made $74K a year—someone who, by all appearances, was a responsible borrower until he… wasn’t. Was it really worth dragging this into court? Could a payment plan have worked? A settlement? A sternly worded letter that wasn’t notarized by a DoD database?

We’re not saying Samuel doesn’t owe the money. He signed the contract. He used the card. He benefited from the credit. But the sheer bureaucratic overkill of this case—complete with military status checks and daily interest calculations—feels less like justice and more like a machine grinding forward because it can.

So if we’re rooting for anyone? We’re rooting for the system to have a little mercy. A little flexibility. A little humanity. Because at the end of the day, this isn’t just about a credit card. It’s about what happens when money, rules, and paperwork collide—and how often, the little guy gets the full weight of the law dropped on his head, one $1.95-per-day interest charge at a time.

Case Overview

$4,743 Demand Petition

Jurisdiction

District Court of Oklahoma County, Oklahoma

Filing Attorney

Jeffery S. Ludlam

Hall & Ludlam, PLLC

Relief Sought

$4,743 Monetary

Plaintiffs

Tinker Federal Credit Union business
Rep: Jeffery S. Ludlam, OBA #17822

Defendants

Samuel M Pantoja individual

Claims

#	Cause of Action	Description
1	breach of contract	default on credit card open account

Petition Text

2,241 words

IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF OKLAHOMA COUNTY STATE OF OKLAHOMA TINKER FEDERAL CREDIT UNION ) ) Plaintiff, vs. SAMUEL M PANTOJA, Defendant. PETITION FILED DISTRICT COURT OKLAHOMA COUNTY, OKLAHOMA March 16, 2026 3:15 PM RICK WARREN, COURT CLERK Case Number CS-2026-3093 Plaintiff, Tinker Federal Credit Union ("TFCU"), for its cause of action against Defendant, Samuel M Pantoja ("Defendant"), alleges and states as follows: 1. On or about December 1, 2018, Defendant executed a credit card open account (hereinafter referred to as the "Contract") and became obligated to pay TFCU for all charges made thereon. See Exhibit “A”. 2. Defendant defaulted on the Contract by failing to timely pay and is indebted to TFCU in the amount of $4,742.80 as of October 28, 2025. 3. TFCU is entitled to contractual interest, reasonable attorney's fees and its reasonable costs of collection under the terms of the Contract and under 12 O.S. §936. 4. Pursuant to the Servicemember’s Civil Relief Act of 2003, TFCU has reviewed the Department of Defense website and determined Defendant is not in the military. See the Affidavit attached hereto as Exhibit “B”. 5. Pursuant to 40 O.S. §4-508(D), TFCU requests an Order that at any time or times subsequent to the filing of this order, the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission shall produce, within thirty (30) days of receipt of this order, employment information of the Defendant. WHEREFORE, Tinker Federal Credit Union prays for judgment against Defendant, Samuel M. Pantoja for $4,742.80, plus contractual interest, TFCU’s reasonable attorney’s fees and costs incurred in pursuit of this action, TFCU’s reasonable attorney’s fees and costs incurred in collection of the Judgment and for such other and further relief as this Court deems just and proper. Respectfully submitted, [Signature] Jeffery S. Ludlam, OBA #17822 HALL & LUDLAM, PLLC 410 Park Ave, Suite 3001 Oklahoma City, OK 73102 (405) 600-9500 Telephone (405) 871-5403 Facsimile [email protected] Tinker Federal Credit Union Application for Credit Date of Application: 12/08/18 Account #: Application #: Credit Limit Requested: $5,900.00 Mother’s Maiden Name: TFCU Heritage Club Member? We intend to apply for joint credit: Applicant ________ Co-Applicant ________ (initials) (initials) Request for: [ ] Visa Platinum [X] Visa Signature [ ] Visa Classic Select One for Classic Card Option A [ ] Option B [ ] (See rate disclosures. If preference not indicated, Option A will be given.) Applicant Name: SAMUEL M PANTOJA Date of Birth: 10/24/1974 TIN (SSN) Address: 1304 Sw 93rd St City and State: Oklahoma City, OK 73159 Rent, Own or Other Living with Others: Rent, Own How long?: 1Y 6M Home Phone: 405-626-7773 U.S. Citizen?: U.S. PERSON Prev. Address: City and State: How long?: OV OM Curr. Employer: Tinker Afb Cell phone or pager number: 405-626-7773 Job Title: Laborer Or Freight, How long?: 3Y 1M Work phone: 999-999-9999 Co-Applicant Name: Date of Birth: Address: City and State: Other: How long?: Home Phone: U.S. Citizen?: Prev. Address: City and State: How long?: Curr. Employer: Cellphone or pager number: Job Title: How long?: Work phone: Prev. Employer: How long?: Income Alimony, child support or separate maintenance income need not be revealed if you do not wish to have it considered as a basis for repaying this loan. <table> <tr> <th>Employer / Source</th> <th>Annual Gross Income</th> <th>Employer / Source</th> <th>Annual Gross Income</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Tinker Afb</td> <td>74,000.04</td> <td></td> <td></td> </tr> </table> Income Alimony, child support or separate maintenance income need not be revealed if you do not wish to have it considered as a basis for repaying this loan. Name and address of nearest relative not living with you: Name: Matthew Pantoja Address: Okc Ok Home Phone: 405-819-7412 Name and address of nearest relative not living with you: I/we certify that everything stated in this application and on any attachment is true and that I/we understand that TFCU will rely upon the accuracy of this information in reviewing my/our loan request. I/we authorize TFCU to check my/our credit, employment history, and to answer questions others may ask about my/our credit record with TFCU in compliance with all Federal and State Regulations. If I/we are accepting a credit card offer, I/we have read and agreed to the terms and conditions given with this application. I/we also agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of the Cardholder Agreement and Disclosure Statement accompanying the Visa, Visa Standard, and Visa Platinum products and all amendments thereto. The USA Patriot Act requires that TFCU verify the identity of all account holders. TFCU may ask me or my co-applicant to show proof of our identity. Applicant Signature: ___________________________ Date: 12/15/2018 Co-Applicant / Co-Signer Signature: ________________ Date: ___/___/_____ Loan Officer Approval Code: Retiring Employee/Branch: MSA Branch: 5900 Closing Employee/Branch: MSA Branch: 5900 Transfer Balance (Optional) The amount of transfer will be posted to your TFCU credit card account as a cash advance, subject to the terms of the Cardholder Agreement and Disclosure Statement. The total amount of transfer requests cannot exceed your credit line. TFCU sends either full or partial payment to your creditors in the order you list them. Any charges you make to your other account after you transfer the balance should be paid directly to that credit card center, instead of Tinker Federal Credit Union. If the next payment on your other credit card is due within 30 days, you should make the payment and deduct the amount from the "Amount to Transfer" below. Account Number: ____________________________ Amount to Transfer: __________________________ Card Name: ________________________________ Billing Address: _____________________________ BS PANTOJA, SAMUEL M**3250 BILLY LN**EDMOND*OK*73034-9308* CRCD 840 10/28/25 09:29 CUR BAL 4,742.80 STTS CD INT/EX D/ HOME PHONE 405-626-7773 CRDT LIMIT 5,500 CYCLE CODE 27 WORK PHONE 405-582-6026 AVLB CRDT 757 OPEN DATE 12-18 SOC SEC # LS BAL 4,742.80 EXP DATE 12-26 CHECKING PRV H BAL 5,706 PLST# 01 TYPE 1 SAVINGS 0009412422 LST PMT AM 100 LST PMT DT 10-25-25 ANNUAL CHARGE 00-00 0 AM DUE 720 LST MON 10-26-25 P CREDIT LINE 12-18 DSP 0 0 0 LST NM 10-21-25 791 FX PY AM 0.00 AM DLQ 578 AUTH FLG PIN TR 0 RENEWAL CODE 2 CONTROL 7 # DAYS DELINQUENT 120 OVERLIMIT HIST 7 USER FLAGS N # TIMES 1 CYCLE 5 TERMS LEVEL 1 SPECIAL FLAGS # TIMES 2 CYCLES 1 HIST MMM4 321I IIII MISC F 1617 # TIMES 3 CYCLES 5 REAGE COUNTER 00 MONTHS GROSS ACTIVE 34 RECOURSE FLAG N STS CD CHG 00-00-00 DELQ SCENARIO 0000 CASH OUT 837 AUTO PAYMNT FLAG 0 SCORE: BH 280 CR 642 YTD INT 600.45 CRDT BUREAU FLAG 1 CREDIT LIFE 0 / DUALITY 0 CROSS REFERENCE 1 0000000000000000 2 0000000000000000 3 CPO PANTOJA, SAMUEL M**3250 BILLY LN**EDMOND*OK*73034-9308* PER DAY INTEREST 1.9514 ACCOUNT PAYOFF 10/28/25 4,742.8000 10/29/25 4,744.7514 10/30/25 4,746.7028 10/31/25 4,748.6542 11/01/25 4,750.6056 11/02/25 4,752.5570 11/03/25 4,754.5084 11/04/25 4,756.4598 11/05/25 4,758.4112 11/06/25 4,760.3626 11/07/25 4,762.3140 CSS ** ENTER CPF TO DISPLAY NEXT CRCD 840 RL 0001 OF 0001 09:29:49 10/28/2 PANTOJA,SAMUEL M**3250 BILLY LN**EDMOND*OK*73034-9308* *0 1027 1122 30N 720.00 D 5500 75707 0 01 1025 1025 74387289B00XTMJG3 PAYMENT - THANK YOU 100.00 02 TOTAL INTEREST FOR THIS PERIOD 58.50 03 TOTAL FEES FOR THIS PERIOD 22.00 04 Interest Charge on Purchases 48.04 05 Interest Charge on Cash Advances 10.46 06 CUREWARDS POINTS ACTIVITY 07 BEGINNING BALANCE 2,816 08 POINTS EARNED 0 09 POINTS REDEEMED 0 10 POINTS AVAILABLE 2,816 11 12 POINTS TO EXPIRE 1,402 13 EXPIRATION DATE DEC 2025 14 15 FOR CUREWARDS PROGRAM QUESTIONS CALL (800) 637-7728 4762.30 100.00 .00 .00 .00 22.00 58.50 4742.80 1.250 15.00 .00 BRK PNT BRK PNT ADB MDSE ADB CASH 1.250 15.00 .00 *************************** 3843.60 837.08 AFFIDVIT STATE OF OKLAHOMA COUNTY OF OKLAHOMA) ) ss. Kristian Maher, of lawful age, being first duly sworn, upon oath deposes and states: 1. I am a Collections Legal Specialist for Tinker Federal Credit Union, and I am authorized to make this Affidavit of its behalf. Based on a review of the Department of Defense website Samuel M Pantoja is not in the military. A copy is attached hereto. Signed under penalty of perjury. Kristian Maher Subscribed and sworn to before me this 28th day of October 2025. Notary Public My Commission Expires: (SEAL) Status Report Pursuant to Servicemembers Civil Relief Act SSN: XXX-XX-3869 Birth Date: Oct-XX-1974 Last Name: PANTOJA First Name: SAMUEL Middle Name: M Status As Of: Oct-28-2025 Certificate ID: GVRY22FC85YBZWK <table> <tr> <th colspan="4">On Active Duty On Active Duty Status Date</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Active Duty Start Date</th> <th>Active Duty End Date</th> <th>Status</th> <th>Service Component</th> </tr> <tr> <td>NA</td> <td>NA</td> <td>No</td> <td>NA</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4">This response reflects the individuals' active duty status based on the Active Duty Status Date</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th colspan="4">Left Active Duty Within 367 Days of Active Duty Status Date</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Active Duty Start Date</th> <th>Active Duty End Date</th> <th>Status</th> <th>Service Component</th> </tr> <tr> <td>NA</td> <td>NA</td> <td>No</td> <td>NA</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4">This response reflects whether the individual left active duty status within 367 days preceding the Active Duty Status Date</td> </tr> </table> <table> <tr> <th colspan="4">The Member or His/Her Unit Was Notified of a Future Call-Up to Active Duty on Active Duty Status Date</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Order Notification Start Date</th> <th>Order Notification End Date</th> <th>Status</th> <th>Service Component</th> </tr> <tr> <td>NA</td> <td>NA</td> <td>No</td> <td>NA</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="4">This response reflects whether the individual or his/her unit has received early notification to report for active duty</td> </tr> </table> Upon searching the data banks of the Department of Defense Manpower Data Center, based on the information that you provided, the above is the status of the individual on the active duty status date as to all branches of the Uniformed Services (Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, NOAA, Public Health, and Coast Guard). This status includes information on a Servicemember or his/her unit receiving notification of future orders to report for Active Duty. The Defense Manpower Data Center (DMDC) is an organization of the Department of Defense (DoD) that maintains the Defense Enrollment and Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS) database which is the official source of data on eligibility for military medical care and other eligibility systems. The DoD strongly supports the enforcement of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (50 USC App. § 3901 et seq. as amended) (SCRA) (formerly known as the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Civil Relief Act of 1940). DMDC has issued hundreds of thousands of “does not possess any information indicating that the individual is currently on active duty” responses, and has experienced only a small error rate. In the event the individual referenced above, or any family member, friend, or representative asserts in any manner that the individual was on active duty for the active duty status date, or is otherwise entitled to the protections of the SCRA, you are strongly encouraged to obtain further verification of the person's status by contacting that person's Service. Service contact information can be found on the SCRA website’s FAQ page (Q35) via this URL: https://scra.dmdc.osd.mil/scra/#faqs. If you have evidence the person was on active duty for the active duty status date and you fail to obtain this additional Service verification, punitive provisions of the SCRA may be invoked against you. See 50 USC App. § 3921(c). This response reflects the following information: (1) The individual’s Active Duty status on the Active Duty Status Date (2) Whether the individual left Active Duty status within 367 days preceding the Active Duty Status Date (3) Whether the individual or his/her unit received early notification to report for active duty on the Active Duty Status Date. More information on "Active Duty Status" Active duty status as reported in this certificate is defined in accordance with 10 USC § 101(d)(1). Prior to 2010 only some of the active duty periods less than 30 consecutive days in length were available. In the case of a member of the National Guard, this includes service under a call to active service authorized by the President or the Secretary of Defense under 32 USC § 502(f) for purposes of responding to a national emergency declared by the President and supported by Federal funds. All Active Guard Reserve (AGR) members must be assigned against an authorized mobilization position in the unit they support. This includes Navy Training and Administration of the Reserves (TARs), Marine Corps Active Reserve (ARs) and Coast Guard Reserve Program Administrator (RPAs). Active Duty status also applies to a Uniformed Service member who is an active duty commissioned officer of the U.S. Public Health Service or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA Commissioned Corps). Coverage Under the SCRA is Broader in Some Cases Coverage under the SCRA is broader in some cases and includes some categories of persons on active duty for purposes of the SCRA who would not be reported as on Active Duty under this certificate. SCRA protections are for Title 10 and Title 14 active duty records for all the Uniformed Services periods. Title 32 periods of Active Duty are not covered by SCRA, as defined in accordance with 10 USC § 101(d)(1). Many times orders are amended to extend the period of active duty, which would extend SCRA protections. Persons seeking to rely on this website certification should check to make sure the orders on which SCRA protections are based have not been amended to extend the inclusive dates of service. Furthermore, some protections of the SCRA may extend to persons who have received orders to report for active duty or to be inducted, but who have not actually begun active duty or actually reported for induction. The Last Date on Active Duty entry is important because a number of protections of the SCRA extend beyond the last dates of active duty. Those who could rely on this certificate are urged to seek qualified legal counsel to ensure that all rights guaranteed to Service members under the SCRA are protected WARNING: This certificate was provided based on a last name, SSN/date of birth, and active duty status date provided by the requester. Providing erroneous information will cause an erroneous certificate to be provided.