Wendy Perry, a resident of Brookville, Pennsylvania, has taken legal action against LVNV Funding, LLC, alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). The complaint was filed on April 23, 2025, in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County by her legal representation from J.P. Ward & Associates, LLC. Perry's lawsuit accuses LVNV Funding of falsely representing the character and legal status of an alleged debt and failing to communicate its disputed nature to credit reporting agencies.
The dispute began when LVNV Funding filed a civil complaint against Wendy Perry on October 21, 2024. In response, Perry engaged J.P. Ward & Associates to defend her case. On November 6, 2024, her attorneys filed an Entry of Appearance and Intent to Defend on her behalf. A letter sent by Perry's counsel to LVNV Funding on November 4, 2024, explicitly denied any debt owed by Perry and instructed the company to cease direct communications with her. Despite this notice and a favorable judgment for Perry at a civil action hearing on November 6, 2024, LVNV Funding allegedly continued to report inaccurate information about the disputed debt to TransUnion.
Perry claims that LVNV Funding violated several provisions of the FDCPA by inaccurately updating her credit report as "in collection" and failing to note that the debt was disputed. These actions are said to have misrepresented the debt's status and character in violation of sections 1692e(2)(a) and 1692e(8) of the FDCPA. Additionally, Perry argues that these practices were abusive and contributed to emotional distress and other personal harms.
The plaintiff seeks monetary damages within arbitration limits for actual damages incurred due to these violations. She also requests statutory damages as allowed under section 1692k(a) of the FDCPA along with costs and attorney fees. The case underscores broader issues related to abusive debt collection practices which can lead to personal bankruptcies and invasions of privacy as noted in section 1692(a) of the FDCPA.
Representing Wendy Perry is Joshua P. Ward from J.P. Ward & Associates, LLC based in Pittsburgh. The defendant is represented by Gregg Lawrence Morris from Patenaude & Felix A.P.C., located in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. The presiding judge over initial proceedings was Gregory M Bazylak with Case ID MJ-54303-CV-0000095-2024.