Vance and Huffman , LLC (V&H) is a third-party collection agency based in Virginia. V&H has received consumer complaints alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), such as failing to verify debts and threatening to take actions that cannot legally be taken. If V&H has contacted you about delinquent collection items, make sure you understand your rights before you take action.
The harassing company pays our fees.
They’re legit. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Vance and Huffman LLC was incorporated in 2013, then started in 2014.The BBB established a profile page for V&H in 2014, and V&H has been a BBB-accredited business since 2016. The BBB lists Vance and Huffman as a collection agency with an estimated 20 employees. Buzzfile estimates V&H’s annual revenue at $372,000 and the size of its headquarters staff at 5 employees.
According to its website, V&H “is an elite financial services company specializing in debt recovery and debt management.” V&H’s goal “is to build a relationship with…clients and consumers… by helping them resolve, settle, or dispute accounts.” V&H also states that it is “passionate about protecting the long-term financial health and well-being of… clients.”
The Vance and Huffman website does not provide any detailed information about the types of businesses or industries for whom they collect debts. Instead, under the “Industries Served” heading on their home page, V&H lists the types of services they offer, which include customer service; traditional collections; debt management; clerical and administrative; call center; credit resolution; and debt settlement.
Vance and Huffman is a “full-service debt purchaser” that employs a “highly trained professional staff that provides…clients with exceptional comprehensive financial services in all aspects of debt management, from call center consulting to debt collection and distressed receivable purchasing.” In addition to debt purchasing and debt recovery, V&H also provides skip-tracing, debt valuation, proprietary data scrubs, portfolio management, and legal collections.
V&H states that they are “fully compliant and up-to-date with all licensing, bonds, and industry trade organizations.” They cite membership in the International Debt Buyers Association (DBA) and the International Association of Credit and Collection Professionals (ACA International). However, their website does not provide a consumers’ page with links and references to protection resources, laws, and enforcement agencies.
Who are we? We are Lemberg Law, a Consumer Law Firm
Lemberg Law is a consumer law firm helping victims of collection harassment and abuse. We are ranked A+ by the BBB. We’ve helped more than 15,000 consumers stop harassment and recover money from debt collectors. Harassed? Abused? Misled by a collector? Call our Helpline today! There is no charge unless we win.
The BBB has closed 18 complaints against Vance and Huffman in the past three years, with 9 complaints closed in the past 12 months. Almost all of those complaints alleged problems with billing and collections. As of April 2016, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has closed 30 complaints involving V&H. Justia lists at least 2 cases of civil litigation involving V&H.
Vance and Huffman, LLC
55 Monette Parkway, Suite 100
Smithfield, Virginia 23430
Telephone: (855) 206-6697
Website: https://www.vhllc.co/
It is illegal for a debt collector to make empty threats to sue you or garnish your wages. It is also unlikely V&H would sue you for a debt you may not owe or they cannot validate. However, debt collection agencies are known to have summoned debtors to court and garnish wages after a default judgement. Contacting an attorney BEFORE this could possibly happen would be a smart move. We’ve helped thousands of consumers fight back against unscrupulous debt collection harassers. Find out if we can help you too today!
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In June 2017, a complainant stated that Vance and Huffman had failed to verify a debt they were attempting to collect. According to the complainant, he requested “a verification of debt letter but… never received one.” He also stated that “by law they need to provide one to the consumer.” In addition, the account V&H was trying to collect was “older than 7 years…and never verified.” He also said that when he called, the V&H representative “immediately offered him a pay for deletion,” which he said he would agree to if they first provide verification. The complainant cited a state law that indicates the statute of limitations for V&A to collect the debt is “4 years from time of first delinquency.” He said that “unless this account can be completely verified, he … would like it deleted from all 3 credit bureaus.” In addition, if V&A cannot provide the information or only provides incomplete information or incomplete removal form his credit reports, then he will “seek legal advice and action.”
In April 2016, a complainant stated that one of his “family members…told him that Vance and Huffman …had been calling her daily and leaving voicemail messages stating they needed to get a hold of” him so he could complete some paperwork. The“family member finally was able to answer one of their calls to try and end their constant contact,…and they again told her the complainant had paperwork with them that needed to be finished but refused to state anything further when she questioned them.” The complainant researched the company “and found they have numerous complaints against them,” with“other reports… stating they use phishing techniques to gather confidential personal information.” The complainant “received a letter from V&H …stating they had purchased” his delinquent account and that he owes them almost $700.00. He denied that the debt was valid, stating it had been “off of his credit report for 2 to 3 years now” because “it was paid and closed.” The complainant stated that he was “leery of contacting them via a phone call, since they would now have his phone number” and may begin “demanding money for an account that does not exist.”
In June 2017, in United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, a consumer filed a class action lawsuit against Vance and Huffman for violations of the FDCPA. In this case, the plaintiff had incurred debt as a result of a transaction with an insurance company. When she became unable to pay the debt, it was ultimately assigned to V&H for collection. The plaintiff alleged that V&H used illegal communication tactics to contact her regarding the debt, including disclosing information about the debt to third parties; allegations of invasion of privacy; an accusation that V&H representatives failed to identify themselves as debt collectors when they contacted her; and an accusation that V&H representatives attempted to give the impression that they were a law firm and that not paying the debt would have serious legal repercussions. The complaint stated that the letters and phone calls used by V&H in their efforts to collect the debt were also used in many other customers of the same insurance company who also used V&H to collect their delinquent debts. As a result, she filed this class action complaint “on behalf of all others similarly situated,” and requested that the court grant her “a trial by jury to seek actual and statutory damages, attorney’s fees and costs, and such other just and proper relief.”
Federal laws protect you. The Fair Debt Collections Practices Act (FDCPA) regulates the behavior of collection agencies by prohibiting actions such as the use of abusive or threatening language; harassment; or the use of false or misleading information to collect a debt. The FCRA regulates how collection agencies and creditors report delinquent debts to credit reporting agencies. Additional consumer protection laws include the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and the Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA).
Yes. If you want to enforce your rights, or recover money for violations — you need to sue. Federal laws provide individuals like you with a means to seek monetary damages in court. For example, the FDCPA allows consumers who have been violated to recover damages of up to $1,000, plus attorney fees and court costs.
You may have a case, if…
“I have to admit, I was not sure of y’all initially but you proved me wrong. You not only got the calls to stop but you have the company to dismiss the accounts once and for all! It had been more than I anticipated.”
“Prior to contacting you, we had tried repeatedly to handle this matter without threatening litigation. In the end, not only were they unapologetic, but they were dismissive – even of an attorney friend who called on our behalf. Sincerest thanks for resolving this matter for us!”
“Lemberg Law has saved me from the endless calls, and harassing voicemails. They really do go to bat for you. I didn’t know that debt collection agencies can end up paying your legal bill. What a surprise, to receive free legal help. I’m very grateful for all the hard work they did to finally give me my life back.”
“Thank you and your team at Lemberg Law for the exceptional work you did on my behalf. I have never experienced the level of care, professionalism, timeliness in follow-through, and monetary compensation obtained through your firm.”
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Sergei Lemberg is an attorney focusing on consumer law, class actions related to automotive issues, and personal injury litigation. With nearly two decades of experience, his areas of practice include Lemon Law (vehicle defects), Debt Collection Harassment, TCPA (illegal robocalls and texts), Fair Credit Reporting Act, Overtime claims, Personal Injury cases, and Class Actions. He has consistently been recognized as the nation's "most active consumer attorney." In 2020, Mr. Lemberg represented Noah Duguid before the United States Supreme Court in the landmark case Duguid v. Facebook. He is also the author of "Defanging Debt Collectors," a guide that empowers consumers to fight back against debt collectors and prevail, as well as "Lemon Law 101: The Laws That Lemon Dealers Don't Want You to Know."
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