Consumer complaint received 2020-12-09
Company: Parrish and Lebar, LLP
State: VA
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: Other debt
Issue: False statements or representation
Sub-issue: Attempted to collect wrong amount

Complaint:
In XXXX of this year I contacted the debt collector for the XXXX XXXX XXXX, Parrish & Lebar ( XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX, Va. XXXX ) to set up a payment arrangement for a balance of over {$2000.00} due to toll fines ( that originally amounted to less than {$20.00} ) so that I could register my vehicle. I received my paperwork, mailed in my first installment payment, and I made at least 2 payments after that. In XX/XX/XXXX I contacted DMV directly because I was unable to register my car online. I was informed that there was a hold on my account due to the toll violations. I inquired about the payment arrangement and at that time I was notified that DMV stopped accepting payment arrangements for toll violations in XXXX. I contacted Parrish & Lebar, the supervisor, I believe her name is XXXX, informed me that she had no clue that there was a new DMV policy. At the time I did not have the money to pay the toll fees in full. 
XX/XX/XXXX I contacted Parrish and Lebar again and asked for a settlement amount. The supervisor informed me that the settlement amount would be {$1100.00}. On XX/XX/XXXX I called Parrish & Lebar and I asked for the settlement amount again, at this time I spoke to a different person, but I was given the same amount. I paid that amount over the phone and I later signed the receipt that was emailed to me on the same day. 
Since making that payment, I have been in contact with DMV and the XXXX XXXX XXXX trying to figure out why the hold on my DMV account hadn't been removed. Today I was told by a traffic court clerk to contact Parrish & Lebar. The conversation that I had with the supervisor of that office is what brought me to file this complaint. 
The supervisor explained to me that their law firm does not offer settlements, she & the other individual I spoke with both " assumed '' that I was referring to a garnishment that the law firm had filed last month ( I knew nothing about this & there is no record of a judgement online ). She also stated that I knew the full amount that I owed and it was up to me to notify her that I was given an incorrect amount. I explained that I have dealt with collection agencies before. In those instances I asked for a settlement amount and I was provided a dollar amount lower than the original balance. I also called Parrish & Lebar a 3rd time after I made a payment, asking them to forward my payment receipt to the traffic court because I needed to have the hold removed from my DMV account. That was yet another opportunity for them to inform me of their policy and to also explain that I still owed more money. No one said a thing. I am greatly upset. On two separate occasions I have tried to handle this toll situation and both times I have been burned. 
Parrish & Lebar should not be allowed to take a person 's money and do whatever they want without any recourse. I still owe {$1400.00}. I simply do not have it. I am not able to register my vehicle and I am not sure when I will be able to do so.

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation