BECKLEY – A West Virginia woman is seeking the court’s help in getting relief from Virco’s alleged annoying and abusive debt collection practices.
Alyssa D. Johns filed a suit on Feb. 5 in Raleigh Circuit Court against Virco Inc., alleging that the company is violating the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act (WVCCPA), the West Virginia Computer Crime and Abuse Act (WVCCAA), and invaded her privacy.
Johns alleges that she became indebted to defendant but that defendant allegedly began engaging in collection of the debt through unlawful means, such as the use of frequent telephone calls and written and electronic communications. She asserts that the defendant repeatedly would call during unusual times or at occasions that were inconvenient to her with the intent to annoy, abuse or oppress. She also alleges that the defendant unlawfully published information relating to the debt and utilized fraud or deception as a means to collect. Plaintiff asserts that this alleged unlawful and constant bullying has caused her emotional distress and was a direct invasion of her privacy.
She is now suing for actual damages resulting from the alleged acts of defendants, statutory damages for all violations of the WVCCAA and WVCCPA, the cost of the suit, attorney fees, compensatory and punitive damages, and any other rewards deemed just by the court. She is represented by Ralph C. Young, Christopher B. Frost, Steven R. Broadwater Jr. and Jed R. Nolan from Hamilton, Burgess, Young, & Pollard PLLC in Fayetteville. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge H.L. Kirkpatrick III.
Raleigh Circuit Court Case number 16-C-25