Virginia AG + CFPB Consumer Complaint Pack

VIRGINIA AG + CFPB CONSUMER COMPLAINT PACK

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Cover Memorandum
2. Part A — Virginia AG Consumer Complaint
3. Part B — CFPB Consumer Complaint
4. Schedule 1 — Chronology of Events
5. Schedule 2 — Document Inventory
6. Schedule 3 — Damages Computation
7. Distribution and Tracking Checklist
8. Virginia Practice Notes
9. Sources and References

1. COVER MEMORANDUM

[CONSUMER NAME]

[STREET ADDRESS]

[CITY, STATE ZIP]

[PHONE] | [EMAIL]

Date: [__/__/____]

To: Virginia Office of the Attorney General — Consumer Protection Section, AND Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Office of Consumer Response

RE: Dual Consumer Complaint against [BUSINESS NAME] for [DESCRIPTION OF VIOLATION]

I respectfully submit the attached complaints to (i) the Virginia Office of the Attorney General Consumer Protection Section pursuant to Va. Code § 59.1-203 and (ii) the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau pursuant to 12 U.S.C. § 5493(b)(3). I request that each agency investigate, take appropriate enforcement action, and seek restitution and civil penalties consistent with statutory authority.

I understand that these agencies do not represent me as private counsel. I have [retained / am evaluating retention of] private counsel and reserve all civil claims, including those under the FDCPA, FCRA, VCPA, and TILA.

Sincerely,

[________________________________]

[CONSUMER NAME]

PART A — VIRGINIA AG CONSUMER COMPLAINT

A.1 Filing Information

Office of the Attorney General of Virginia

Consumer Protection Section

202 North 9th Street

Richmond, VA 23219

(General Mail / Walk-in)

Mailing Address for Consumer Complaints (per OAG instructions):

900 East Main Street

Richmond, VA 23219

Fax: (804) 225-4378

Consumer Protection Hotline: 1-800-552-9963 (toll-free in Virginia)

Richmond Area / Out-of-State: (804) 786-2042

Online Complaint Form: https://www.oag.state.va.us/consumercomplaintform

Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday

A.2 Complainant Information

A.3 Business Complained Against

A.4 Transaction Details

A.5 Description of Complaint

Nature of the prohibited practice (check all that apply):

• ☐ Misrepresentation of goods or services (Va. Code § 59.1-200(A)(5)–(6))
• ☐ False or deceptive advertising (§ 59.1-200(A)(8)–(9))
• ☐ Bait-and-switch (§ 59.1-200(A)(11))
• ☐ Failure to deliver / non-performance (§ 59.1-200(A)(13))
• ☐ Use of fraud, false pretense, false promise, or misrepresentation (§ 59.1-200(A)(14))
• ☐ Door-to-door cancellation rights violation (§ 59.1-21 et seq.)
• ☐ Home-improvement / contractor fraud
• ☐ Auto sales or repair fraud (§ 59.1-207.1 et seq.)
• ☐ Health-spa or membership-service violations
• ☐ Telemarketing (§ 59.1-510 et seq.) / Do-Not-Call
• ☐ Identity theft (Va. Code § 18.2-186.3)
• ☐ Data breach (Va. Code § 18.2-186.6)
• ☐ Debt collection abuse (FDCPA, 15 U.S.C. § 1692 et seq.)
• ☐ Credit reporting (FCRA, 15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.)
• ☐ Mortgage / foreclosure abuse
• ☐ Payday or title-lender violations
• ☐ Other: [________________________________]

Narrative. [Provide a chronological factual narrative — one or two pages. Include who, what, when, where, how, and dollar amount. Reference Schedule 1 for full chronology and Schedule 2 for documentary support.]

A.6 Resolution Requested

I request the following relief:

• ☐ Investigation and enforcement action under Va. Code § 59.1-203
• ☐ Restitution in the amount of $[________________]
• ☐ Cancellation of contract / debt release
• ☐ Removal of negative credit reporting
• ☐ Cease-and-desist as to ongoing collection or solicitation
• ☐ Civil penalties under Va. Code § 59.1-206
• ☐ Referral for criminal prosecution (if applicable)
• ☐ Other: [________________________________]

A.7 Prior Action

A.8 Authorization and Signature

I certify that the information provided is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. I understand that the Office of the Attorney General does not act as my private attorney. I authorize the OAG to share my complaint with the business named above and with other regulatory agencies where appropriate, including the CFPB, FTC, Better Business Bureau, and Virginia State Corporation Commission.

[________________________________]

[COMPLAINANT NAME]

Date: [__/__/____]

PART B — CFPB CONSUMER COMPLAINT

B.1 Filing Information

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Office of Consumer Response

P.O. Box 27170

Washington, DC 20038

Phone: (855) 411-2372 (TTY/TDD: (855) 729-2372)

Online: https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/

B.2 Product / Service Category (select one)

• ☐ Checking or savings account
• ☐ Credit card
• ☐ Credit reporting / credit repair / other personal consumer reports
• ☐ Debt collection
• ☐ Mortgage
• ☐ Payday loan, title loan, or personal loan
• ☐ Prepaid card
• ☐ Student loan
• ☐ Vehicle loan or lease
• ☐ Money transfer or virtual currency
• ☐ Other financial service

B.3 Sub-Issue (most-common selections)

• ☐ Continued attempts to collect debt not owed
• ☐ Communication tactics (frequent or repeated calls, threats, third-party disclosure)
• ☐ False statements or representations about the debt
• ☐ Took or threatened to take negative or legal action
• ☐ Incorrect information on credit report (account status, balance, identity)
• ☐ Improper use of credit report
• ☐ Loan servicing, payments, escrow account
• ☐ Application denied / problem with credit decision
• ☐ Fraud or scam
• ☐ Other: [________________________________]

B.4 Company Information

B.5 What Happened

[Provide a factual narrative — limit ~2,000 characters per CFPB intake. Include: dates, amounts, communications received, your responses, harms suffered. Avoid speculation; stick to first-person facts.]

B.6 Desired Resolution

• ☐ Refund of money paid: $[________________]
• ☐ Closure of account / contract release
• ☐ Correction of credit report
• ☐ Cease-and-desist as to debt collection
• ☐ Apology / non-monetary relief
• ☐ Other: [________________________________]

B.7 Authorization

By submitting, I authorize the CFPB to share this complaint with the company so the company can respond. I consent to the publication of my complaint (with personal identifiers removed) on the CFPB Consumer Complaint Database.

[________________________________]

[COMPLAINANT NAME]

Date: [__/__/____]

SCHEDULE 1 — CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS

SCHEDULE 2 — DOCUMENT INVENTORY

• ☐ Contract or written agreement
• ☐ Receipts, invoices, billing statements
• ☐ Cancelled checks, credit-card statements, bank statements
• ☐ Advertisements, marketing materials, screen captures of website
• ☐ Email and text-message correspondence
• ☐ Voicemails (with transcription)
• ☐ Letters mailed and certified-mail receipts
• ☐ Photographs / video
• ☐ Witness statements (notarized where possible)
• ☐ Credit reports (with disputed items highlighted)
• ☐ Police report or FTC IdentityTheft.gov report (Report No. [________])
• ☐ Prior agency correspondence (BBB, FTC, state regulators)
• ☐ Other: [________________________________]

SCHEDULE 3 — DAMAGES COMPUTATION

DISTRIBUTION AND TRACKING CHECKLIST

• ☐ Online submission to Virginia OAG (https://www.oag.state.va.us/consumercomplaintform) — Confirmation No.: [________]
• ☐ Online submission to CFPB (https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/) — Case No.: [________]
• ☐ Hard-copy mailed to OAG, 900 East Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219 — Tracking No.: [________]
• ☐ Hard-copy faxed to OAG (804) 225-4378 — Confirmation: [________]
• ☐ Copy to FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
• ☐ Copy to Better Business Bureau (https://www.bbb.org)
• ☐ Copy to Virginia State Corporation Commission, Bureau of Financial Institutions (if licensee involved) — https://www.scc.virginia.gov/pages/Bureau-of-Financial-Institutions
• ☐ Copy to local commonwealth's attorney (if criminal conduct)
• ☐ Calendar 60-day reminder to follow up if no response
• ☐ File copies retained with case materials

VIRGINIA PRACTICE NOTES

• OAG enforcement scope. Va. Code § 59.1-203 authorizes the Attorney General, the commonwealth's attorney, or the city/county attorney to bring an action to enjoin VCPA violations. Civil penalties under § 59.1-206 are up to $2,500 per violation, $5,000 if willful. The court "may order" restitution to consumers. Individual consumers may not piggyback on AG actions but may rely on the public record they create.
• No tolling. Filing administrative complaints does not toll Virginia's two-year VCPA SOL (Va. Code § 59.1-204.1) or any federal limitations period. Calendar private-action deadlines independently of the regulatory track.
• Consumer Protection Section structure. The VA OAG Consumer Protection Section, situated within the Civil Litigation Division, accepts complaints by online form, mail, fax, or walk-in. Telephone screening and alternative dispute resolution are available; the Section will refer matters outside its jurisdiction (e.g., insurance to the State Corporation Commission Bureau of Insurance, banking to the Bureau of Financial Institutions, securities to the Division of Securities and Retail Franchising).
• Address note. The OAG main office is at 202 N. 9th Street, Richmond. The Consumer Protection Section directs complaint mail to 900 East Main Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Both addresses are part of the OAG and are routinely used in published consumer materials.
• CFPB jurisdiction. CFPB has authority over "covered persons" under 12 U.S.C. § 5481(6) — including banks, credit unions, debt collectors, mortgage originators and servicers, payday lenders, credit-reporting agencies, money transmitters, and student-loan servicers. CFPB does NOT regulate auto dealers in their direct sales, retailers, insurance companies, or non-lending professional services.
• CFPB timelines. Companies acknowledge receipt within 15 days and typically respond within 60 days. Public version of the complaint is published on the Consumer Complaint Database (with personal identifiers removed) unless the consumer opts out.
• Concurrent filings. Filing with both OAG and CFPB is permitted and often beneficial — the agencies share data through the Consumer Sentinel Network and may coordinate enforcement.
• Privacy and FOIA. Virginia OAG complaint files are subject to the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Va. Code § 2.2-3700 et seq.) but most identifying personal information is exempt under § 2.2-3705.5. CFPB complaints are subject to the federal Freedom of Information Act with similar redactions.
• Elder-fraud and servicemember routing. Indicate elder (age 60+) or active-duty status to route to specialized OAG units (Senior Counsel for Elder Issues; CFPB Office of Servicemember Affairs).

SOURCES AND REFERENCES

• Va. Code § 59.1-196 et seq. (Virginia Consumer Protection Act) — https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title59.1/chapter17/
• Va. Code § 59.1-203 (Restraining prohibited acts) — https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title59.1/chapter17/section59.1-203/
• Va. Code § 59.1-206 (Civil penalty) — https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title59.1/chapter17/section59.1-206/
• Virginia Office of the Attorney General — Consumer Protection Section — https://www.oag.state.va.us/consumer-protection/
• VA OAG Online Complaint Form — https://www.oag.state.va.us/consumercomplaintform
• VA OAG Printable Complaint Form (PDF) — https://www.oag.state.va.us/consumer-protection/files/ConsumerComplaintFormOAG.pdf
• CFPB Consumer Complaint Database — https://www.consumerfinance.gov/data-research/consumer-complaints/
• CFPB Submit a Complaint — https://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/
• FTC ReportFraud.ftc.gov — https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/
• Virginia State Corporation Commission — Bureau of Financial Institutions — https://www.scc.virginia.gov/pages/Bureau-of-Financial-Institutions
• Better Business Bureau — https://www.bbb.org/

Disclaimer: This template is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Filing administrative complaints does not preserve, toll, or substitute for any private civil right of action. Consult a Virginia-licensed attorney for case-specific guidance before relying on this template.