Consumer complaint received 2023-01-09
Product: Debt collection — Auto debt
Issue: Took or threatened to take negative or legal action — Seized or attempted to seize your property
Company: VW Credit, Inc (FL)

Volkswagen Credit XXXX is attempting to collect debt and is using abusive actions pursuant to the Federal Debt Collection Practices Act. Volkswagen is labeled a debt collector according laws stated below. 

15 U.S. Code 1692b - Acquisition of location information Any debt collector communicating with any person other than the consumer for the purpose of acquiring location information about the consumer shall ( 1 ) identify himself, state that he is confirming or correcting location information concerning the consumer, and, only if expressly requested, identify his employer ; ( 2 ) not state that such consumer owes any debt ; ( 3 ) not communicate with any such person more than once unless requested to do so by such person or unless the debt collector reasonably believes that the earlier response of such person is erroneous or incomplete and that such person now has correct or complete location information ; ( 4 ) not communicate by post card ; ( 5 ) not use any language or symbol on any envelope or in the contents of any communication effected by the mails or telegram that indicates that the debt collector is in the debt collection business or that the communication relates to the collection of a debt.

15 U.S. Code 1692c - Communication in connection with debt collection ( a ) Communication with the consumer generally Without the prior consent of the consumer given directly to the debt collector or the express permission of a court of competent jurisdiction, a debt collector may not communicate with a consumer in connection with the collection of any debt ( b ) Communication with third parties Except as provided in section 1692b of this title, without the prior consent of the consumer given directly to the debt collector, or the express permission of a court of competent jurisdiction, or as reasonably necessary to effectuate a post judgment judicial remedy, a debt collector may not communicate, in connection with the collection of any debt, with any person other than the consumer, his attorney, a consumer reporting agency if otherwise permitted by law, the creditor, the attorney of the creditor, or the attorney of the debt collector.

15 U.S. Code 1692d - Harassment or abuse A debt collector may not engage in any conduct the natural consequence of which is to harass, oppress, or abuse any person in connection with the collection of a debt. Without limiting the general application of the foregoing, the following conduct is a violation of this section : ( 1 ) The use or threat of use of violence or other criminal means to harm the physical person, reputation, or property of any person.

( 2 ) The use of obscene or profane language or language the natural consequence of which is to abuse the hearer or reader.

( 3 ) The publication of a list of consumers who allegedly refuse to pay debts, except to a consumer reporting agency or to persons meeting the requirements of section 1681a ( f ) or 1681b ( 3 ) [ 1 ] of this title.

( 4 ) The advertisement for sale of any debt to coerce payment of the debt.

( 5 ) Causing a telephone to ring or engaging any person in telephone conversation repeatedly or continuously with intent to annoy, abuse, or harass any person at the called number.

15 U.S. Code 1692f - Unfair practices A debt collector may not use unfair or unconscionable means to collect or attempt to collect any debt. Without limiting the general application of the foregoing, the following conduct is a violation of this section : ( 1 ) The collection of any amount ( including any interest, fee, charge, or expense incidental to the principal obligation ) unless such amount is expressly authorized by the agreement creating the debt or permitted by law.

( 2 ) The acceptance by a debt collector from any person of a check or other payment instrument postdated by more than five days unless such person is notified in writing of the debt collectors intent to deposit such check or instrument not more than ten nor less than three business days prior to such deposit.

( 3 ) The solicitation by a debt collector of any postdated check or other postdated payment instrument for the purpose of threatening or instituting criminal prosecution.

( 4 ) Depositing or threatening to deposit any postdated check or other postdated payment instrument prior to the date on such check or instrument.

( 5 ) Causing charges to be made to any person for communications by concealment of the true purpose of the communication. Such charges include, but are not limited to, collect telephone calls and telegram fees.

( 6 ) Taking or threatening to take any nonjudicial action to effect dispossession or disablement of property if ( A ) there is no present right to possession of the property claimed as collateral through an enforceable security interest ; ( B ) there is no present intention to take possession of the property ; or ( C ) the property is exempt by law from such dispossession or disablement.

( 7 ) Communicating with a consumer regarding a debt by post card.

( 8 ) Using any language or symbol, other than the debt collectors address, on any envelope when communicating with a consumer by use of the mails or by telegram, except that a debt collector may use his business name if such name does not indicate that he is in the debt collection business.

15 U.S. Code 1692g - Validation of debts ( a ) Notice of debt ; contents Within five days after the initial communication with a consumer in connection with the collection of any debt, a debt collector shall, unless the following information is contained in the initial communication or the consumer has paid the debt, send the consumer a written notice containing ( 1 ) the amount of the debt ; ( 2 ) the name of the creditor to whom the debt is owed ; ( 3 ) a statement that unless the consumer, within thirty days after receipt of the notice, disputes the validity of the debt, or any portion thereof, the debt will be assumed to be valid by the debt collector ; ( 4 ) a statement that if the consumer notifies the debt collector in writing within the thirty-day period that the debt, or any portion thereof, is disputed, the debt collector will obtain verification of the debt or a copy of a judgment against the consumer and a copy of such verification or judgment will be mailed to the consumer by the debt collector ; and ( 5 ) a statement that, upon the consumers written request within the thirty-day period, the debt collector will provide the consumer with the name and address of the original creditor, if different from the current creditor.

Volkswagen Credit Inc is in violations of federal laws pursuant to The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. As per federal law Volkswagen Credit Inc is liable for ; 15 U.S.C 1692k-Civil Liability ( a ) Amount of damages Except as otherwise provided by this section, any debt collector who fails to comply with any provision of this subchapter with respect to any person is liable to such person in an amount equal to the sum of ( 1 ) any actual damage sustained by such person as a result of such failure ; ( 2 ) ( A ) in the case of any action by an individual, such additional damages as the court may allow, but not exceeding {$1000.00} ; or ( B ) in the case of a class action, ( i ) such amount for each named plaintiff as could be recovered under subparagraph ( A ), and ( ii ) such amount as the court may allow for all other class members, without regard to a minimum individual recovery, not to exceed the lesser of {$500000.00} or 1 per centum of the net worth of the debt collector ; and ( 3 ) in the case of any successful action to enforce the foregoing liability, the costs of the action, together with a reasonable attorneys fee as determined by the court. On a finding by the court that an action under this section was brought in bad faith and for the purpose of harassment, the court may award to the defendant attorneys fees reasonable in relation to the work expended and costs.