PUTNAM – A Winfield woman has filed a class action claiming that a debt collector engaged in abusive collection practices.
Chelsey M. Pritt filed a complaint on behalf of all others similarly situated on June 30 in the Putnam Circuit Court against Otis Freeman, doing business as Accounts Receivable Management Services; Capital Collection Agency Inc.; Otis Freeman; and John Doe corporations citing the West Virginia Consumer Credit and Protection Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that the defendants misrepresent the length of time that nonpayment of an alleged debt could impact a consumer's credit report, falsely threatens in letters that a failure to engage in a repayment plan will result in a decade of negative credit history and other false threats.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks statutory damages, compensatory damages, punitive damages, court costs and any further relief the court grants. She is represented by Troy N. Giatras and Matthew Stonestreet of The Giatras Law Firm PLLC in Charleston. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Phillip M. Stowers.
Putnam Circuit Court case number 17-C-120