If you used your credit card while dining out at several local restaurants last year, you could be eligible for a gift certificate. It's part of a major settlement for a class-action lawsuit against a local company accused of printing too much sensitive information on your receipt.

If you see your entire credit card number or the expiration date printed on a receipt, the merchant may not be following the law.

The parent company of the Mad Mex chain, along with Soba, Umi and several others, recently found itself at the center of a federal lawsuit over how much personal information they're printing on credit card receipts.

"And there's been cases of people going through the dumpster then stealing these receipts and then using the credit card numbers to create identity theft, order products," said consumer advocate Richard Sabo.

Because many of us pay little attention to our copy of the receipt, the federal government ordered all businesses to redact your card number, as well as the expiration date.

They had until December of 2006 to comply, but some did not.

The recently-settled lawsuit against the owners of Mad Mex accuses them of failing to meet that deadline.

Under the settlement, anyone who used a credit card while eating at the affected local restaurants from Dec. 4, 2006 through March 31, 2007, is eligible for a $7 gift card.

The affected merchants include all Mad Mex restaurants, 11 Kaya, Casbah, the Warhol Cafe, Soba, Umi and Big Catering.

Similar class-action lawsuits have been filed across the country.

Sabo said he believes it might be the only way to get some merchants to comply.

"When enough publicity comes down and enough legal fees rack up, then they're going to take notice," he said.

The president of Big Burrito Group, which owns some of the restaurants named in the suit, declined to comment.

If you're unsure whether you're eligible for the gift card, you can call 800-467-5241 or visit secure.bigburrito.com/settlement/.

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