FAYETTEVILLE – A man is suing Publishers Clearing House after he claims it violated the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act.
Leslie Keith Williams became in arrears upon an alleged indebtedness to Publishers Clearing and the defendant began to engage in collection of the indebtedness through the use of telephone calls placed to the plaintiff and by written communications, according to a complaint filed June 21 in Fayette Circuit Court.
Williams claims the defendant violated the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act by attempting to collect a debt by coercion and engaging in unreasonable or oppressive or abusive conduct toward the plaintiff in connection with the attempt to collect a debt.
The defendant caused Williams’ phone to ring or engaging persons, including the plaintiff, in telephone conversations repeatedly or continuously or at unusual times or at times known to be inconvenient, with the intent to annoy, abuse or oppress the plaintiff, in violation of WVCCPA, according to the suit.
Williams claims that Publishers Clearing utilized fraudulent, deceptive or misleading representations or means in an attempt to collect a debt in violation of West Virginia code and in using unfair or unconscionable means to collect a debt from the plaintiff.
As a result of the defendant’s actions , the plaintiff has been inconvenienced, harassed, bothered, upset, angered, harangued and otherwise caused indignation and distress, according to the suit.
Williams claims the defendant also violated the West Virginia Computer Crime and Abuse Act by using an “electronic communication device” to make contact with him after being requested to desist from contacting him.
Williams is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. He is being represented by Ralph C. Young, Christopher B. Frost, Steven R. Broadwater Jr. and Jed R. Nolan of Hamilton Burgess Young & Pollard.
Fayette Circuit Court case number: 17-C-220