In re Currency Conversion Fee Antitrust Litigation

224 F.R.D. 555, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20641, 2004 WL 2327938
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedOctober 15, 2004
DocketNos. MDL 1409, M 21-95
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 224 F.R.D. 555 (In re Currency Conversion Fee Antitrust Litigation) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Currency Conversion Fee Antitrust Litigation, 224 F.R.D. 555, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20641, 2004 WL 2327938 (S.D.N.Y. 2004).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

PAULEY, District Judge.

This consolidated class action, alleging violations of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1 et seq., the Truth in Lending Act (“TILA”), 15 U.S.C. § 1601 et seq., and the South Dakota Deceptive Trade Practices Act (“DTPA”), arises out of an alleged price-fixing conspiracy by and among Visa and MasterCard and their member banks (collectively “Defendants”) with respect to currency conversion fees. Presently before this Court is Plaintiffs’ motion to certify three distinct classes in their pending actions. For the reasons set forth below, Plaintiffs’ motion is granted in part and denied in part.

BACKGROUND

The factual background underlying this action is set forth in this Court’s prior Memorandum and Order. See In re Currency Conversion Fee Antitrust Litig., 265 F.Supp.2d 385 (S.D.N.Y.2003). The facts relevant to this motion are repeated here.

VISA and MasterCard enable cardholders from the United States to purchase goods or services in a foreign country in that nation’s currency. The amount is converted to U.S. dollars and then billed to the United States cardholder. The prevailing conversion rate for the applicable foreign currency is applied to the cardholder’s transaction. Currency Conversion, 265 F.Supp.2d at 393.

As part of the conversion, cardholders are charged a currency conversion fee that ranges between one and three percent of the total cost of the purchase. Currency Conversion, 265 F.Supp.2d at 393. Plaintiffs claim that Defendants imposed upon their cardholders artificially inflated foreign currency conversion fees, without informing the cardholders. (Plaintiffs’ Memorandum in Support of Class Certification (“Pl.Mem.”) at 2-3.) Plaintiffs allege that these fees are assessed regardless of whether Defendants convert or exchange the currency. VISA and MasterCard automatically impose this currency conversion fee on cardholders at the network level. Currency Conversion, 265 F.Supp.2d at 393.

[560]*560There are two tranches of currency conversion fees charged by VISA and MasterCard. The first is charged by either VISA or MasterCard at one percent of the purchase price and retained by the respective association. The second tier, typically two percent on top of the one percent fee, is retained by the cardholder’s issuing bank. Currency Conversion, 265 F.Supp.2d at 393-94.

Plaintiffs move to certify three classes: (a) a damages class, (b) an antitrust injunctive relief class, and (c) a TILA class. The damages class would comprise: “all VISA, MasterCard and Diners Club general purpose cardholders who used cards issued by any of the issuing bank defendants during the Damages Period, and were assessed a currency conversion fee or currency conversion surcharge for using such cards to purchase goods and/or services denominated in a foreign currency.” (Second Consolidated Amended Class Action Complaint (“Compl.”) ¶ 139; Pl. Mem. at 9.) Because Counts II, III and V of the Complaint each allege injuries suffered only by a segment of the damages class, Plaintiffs seek to divide the damages class into three subclasses:

a) All cardholders of MasterCard-branded general purpose cards issued by any of the issuing bank defendants who were assessed a foreign transaction fee or surcharge for using such cards to purchase goods and/or services in foreign currencies (“MasterCard Subclass”).
b) All cardholders of Visa-branded general purpose cards issued by any of the issuing bank defendants who were assessed a foreign transaction fee or surcharge for using such cards to purchase goods and/or services in foreign currencies (“Visa Subclass”).
c) All cardholders of general purpose cards issued by Citibank (South Dakota) who were assessed a foreign transaction fee or surcharge for using such cards to purchase goods and/or services in foreign currencies (“Citibank Subclass”).

(Pl. Mem. at 10.)

Plaintiffs allege that Defendants continue to improperly assess currency conversion fees. (Pl. Mem. at 10.) Accordingly, Plaintiffs seek to certify a separate “Antitrust Injunctive Relief Class” comprising “all VISA, MasterCard and Diners Club general purpose cardholders of the issuing bank defendants.” (Compl. 11140; Pl. Mem. at 10.)

Finally, Plaintiffs seek certification of a “TILA class” comprising “VISA, MasterCard and Diners Club general purpose cardholders with cards issued by any of the defendants.” (Compl. ¶ 141; Pl. Mem. at 10.) The TILA class would comprise all cardholders — not just those who paid conversion fees. Plaintiffs propose to centrifuge the TILA class into seven subclasses1, one for each issuing bank.

Defendants oppose Plaintiffs’ motion for class certification, arguing that individual questions of impact, injury and damages would overwhelm any common questions; that class certification is not the superior method of adjudication; and that Plaintiffs fail to satisfy the adequacy requirement. Defendants further argue that class certification under Rule 23(b)(2) is inappropriate since Plaintiffs’ predominant claim is for monetary damages. In addition, Defendants argue that should this Court certify any class, all cardholders having an arbitration agreement with them card issuer should be excluded from the class definitions.

DISCUSSION

I. Class Certification Standards

Rule 23 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure governs class certification. Parker v. Time Warner Entm’t Co., L.P., 331 F.3d 13, 18 (2d Cir.2003); accord Benner v. Becton Dickinson & Co., 214 F.R.D. 157, 162 (S.D.N.Y.2003). The Supreme Court has instructed that a district court must conduct a “rigorous analysis” to ascertain whether Rule [561]*56123 requirements have been satisfied. See Gen. Tel. Co. v. Falcon, 457 U.S. 147, 161, 102 S.Ct. 2364, 72 L.Ed.2d 740 (1982); accord Caridad v. Metro-North Commuter R.R., 191 F.3d 283, 291 (2d Cir.1999). While Rule 23 must be liberally interpreted and not given a strict construction, Marisol A. v. Giuliani, 126 F.3d 372, 377 (2d Cir.1997), the party seeking class certification bears the burden of establishing the requisites of Rule 23, see Amchem Prods., Inc. v. Windsor, 521 U.S. 591, 614, 117 S.Ct. 2231, 138 L.Ed.2d 689 (1997); Caridad, 191 F.3d at 291.

There are two prerequisites for class actions.

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Bluebook (online)
224 F.R.D. 555, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20641, 2004 WL 2327938, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-currency-conversion-fee-antitrust-litigation-nysd-2004.