Consumer Financial Protection Bureau v. Howard Law

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is a government agency that enforces laws that protect consumers.

The CFPB sued Vincent Howard, Lawrence Williamson, Howard Law, P.C., The Williamson Law Firm, LLC, and Williamson & Howard, LLP (collectively “Howard Law”), for violating the Telemarketing Sales Rule in connection with their telemarketing and sale of debt relief services.

Eligible consumers include all consumers who paid Howard Law fees on or after January 30, 2014.

If you believe you are eligible for a refund (or an additional refund beyond the check you received), you can file a claim form. You need to provide a list of fees paid to Howard Law (including amount, date of payment, and description of fee if known), and provide proof of your payments, such as credit card or bank statements or copies of canceled checks.

Receiving a refund from the CFPB does not prevent you from pursuing other legal claims, if any, against any individual or entity named in the CFPB’s lawsuit. Neither the third-party administrator nor CFPB can give you individual legal advice. For legal advice for your situation, contact an attorney.

To file a claim, you can do so on this website here, download a copy of the claim form and return it to Epiq via U.S. Mail to the address below, or call 1-800-651-8743 to request a form be mailed to you.

CFPB v. Howard Law
Civil Penalty Fund Third-Party Administrator
P.O. Box 5339
Portland, OR 97228-5339

No, this is not a scam. If you wish, you can verify that Epiq is contracted with CFPB by calling CFPB directly at 1-855-411-2372, or visiting their website: www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/payments-harmed-consumers/payments-by-case and clicking on the link that says “Howard Law.”

Additional information, including the final court order, is available on the Documents page of this website, or by visiting the CFPB website at www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/payments-harmed-consumers/payments-by-case, and clicking on “Howard Law.”

The CFPB stands for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 established the CFPB.

Congress established the CFPB to protect consumers by carrying out federal consumer financial laws. Among other things, the CFPB:

• Writes rules, supervises companies, and enforces federal consumer financial protection laws
• Restricts unfair, deceptive, or abusive acts or practices
• Takes consumer complaints
• Promotes financial education
• Researches consumer behavior
• Monitors financial markets for new risks to consumers
• Enforces laws that outlaw discrimination and other unfair treatment in consumer finance

To learn more, visit www.consumerfinance.gov.

Epiq Class Action & Claims Solutions is a third-party administrator that CFPB has contracted with to answer questions regarding this case and to administer this website.

The CFPB never requires you to pay money up front or provide additional information before you can cash refund checks that CFPB has issued.

If anyone claims that they can get you a refund but asks you for money, it could be a scam. Please contact CFPB right away if this happens to you or if you have other questions about this matter.

You may contact Epiq in writing at:

CFPB v. Howard Law
Civil Penalty Fund Third-Party Administrator
P.O. Box 5339
Portland, OR 97228-5339

Do not send any information to CFPB.

Please note that information you submit is treated in accordance with the Privacy Act. You can view the Privacy Act in FAQ 9.

The information requested is being collected to determine your eligibility for a Civil Penalty Fund or redress payment from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to compensate you for harm suffered from a violation of federal consumer financial law that was the subject of a Bureau enforcement action.

Identifying information collected may be used by and disclosed to employees, contractors, agents, and others authorized by the CFPB to receive this information to assist in related activities. It may also be disclosed:

• To a court, magistrate, or administrative tribunal in the course of a proceeding
• For enforcement, statutory, and regulatory purposes
• To another federal or state agency or regulatory authority
• To a member of Congress
• To the Department of Justice, a court, an adjudicative body or administrative tribunal, or a party in litigation
• Pursuant to the CFPB’s published Privacy Act system of records notice, CFPB.025 – Civil Penalty Fund and Bureau-Administered Redress Program Records

The collection of this information is authorized by Pub. L. 111-203, Title X, Sections 1017(d) (Civil Penalty Fund) and/or 1055(a) (Redress), codified at 12 U.S.C. §§ 5497(d), 5565(a).

You are not required to submit or provide any identifying information; however, not doing so may delay processing or be a basis for rejection of your claim.

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this collection is 3170-0024. It expires on May 31, 2025. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average approximately 30 minutes per response. Responding to this collection of information is voluntary. Comments regarding this collection of information, including the estimated response time, suggestions for improving the usefulness of the information, or suggestions for reducing the burden to respond to this collection should be submitted to Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (Attention: PRA Office), 1700 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20552, or by email to CFPB_PRA@cfpb.gov.