McCabe v. Crawford & Co.

210 F.R.D. 631, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17997, 2002 WL 31133190
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Illinois
DecidedSeptember 24, 2002
DocketNo. 01 C 8194
StatusPublished
Cited by39 cases

This text of 210 F.R.D. 631 (McCabe v. Crawford & Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Illinois primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
McCabe v. Crawford & Co., 210 F.R.D. 631, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17997, 2002 WL 31133190 (N.D. Ill. 2002).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

CASTILLO, District Judge.

Terrence McCabe filed an amended class action complaint against Crawford & Company (“Crawford”) alleging violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”), 15 U.S.C. § 1692 et seq., (Counts I, II and III), the Illinois Collection Agency Act (“ICAA”), 225 ILCS 425 et seq., (Count IV), and the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act (“ICFA”), 815 ILCS 505 et seq., (Counts V and VI). McCabe also brings suit against Budget Group, Inc., and Budget Rent A Car, Inc. (collectively “Budget”) for violations of the Illinois Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, Id., (Counts V and VI). Finally, McCabe seeks restitution and declaratory relief from all Defendants (Count VII).

Currently before the Court is Crawford’s motion to dismiss all counts and Budget’s motion to dismiss Counts V, VI and VII pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6). Also before the Court is McCabe’s amended motion for class certification pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure Rule 23. Fed.R.Civ.P. 23. For the foregoing reasons, the Court grants Budget’s motion to dismiss Counts V, VI and VII. (R. 30-1.) The Court grants Crawford’s motion to dismiss on Counts V, VI and VII, grants in part and denies in part on Counts I and IV and denies on Count II. (R. 31-1.) In addition, the Court grants McCabe’s motion for class certification as to Classes A and B and denies McCabe’s motion for class certification as to Classes C, D and E. (R. 12-1.)

RELEVANT FACTS

In November 1997, McCabe rented a truck from Budget. At the time of the rental, McCabe did not purchase Budget’s vehicle loss and damage insurance. On or about November 23, 1997, McCabe hit a railroad viaduct on the north side of Chicago and damaged the rental truck. After McCabe’s insurance denied coverage for the vehicle, Budget unsuccessfully sought to collect pay-[636]*636merit for the damage caused to the vehicle. In July 2001, Budget turned McCabe’s account over to Crawford, a collection agency, in an attempt to collect for the damage caused to the rental vehicle.

Crawford sent McCabe a letter seeking payment of $12,266.67 for damage to the truck and associated fees.1 (Id.) The letter stated in pertinent part:

You rented a vehicle from Budget at which time you declined the Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) option in the rental agreement. As a result, you became obligated to pay for any and all damages to the vehicle as stated in the rental agreement, which you signed. During the rental term, the vehicle sustained damages ....
Unless we hear from you within thirty (30) days after the receipt of this letter disputing the claim, Federal Law provides that this debt will be assumed to be valid and owing. In the event you contact us and dispute the charges owed, we will promptly furnish you with any and all documentation to substantiate the claim.
Please contact our office upon receipt of this letter to discuss the matter.
(R. 25-1, Compl., Ex. A.)

McCabe filed the instant seven-count amended complaint against Crawford and Budget. McCabe maintains in Count I that Crawford’s form letter violated provisions of the FDCPA. In particular, McCabe asserts that the letter made false representations as to the amount Crawford could legally seek, overshadowed the validation notice and failed to appropriately apprise McCabe of his rights under the FDCPA. Moreover, in the remaining counts, McCabe alleges that Crawford misrepresented the character, amount or legal status of the debts allegedly owed by McCabe and violated the FDCPA, ICAA and ICFA by failing to comply with the Illinois Vehicle Code (“Code”), 625 ILCS 5/6-305.2. Currently before the Court are Defendants’ motions to dismiss pursuant to Rule 12(b)(6) and McCabe’s motion for class certification pursuant to Rule 23.

LEGAL STANDARDS

A motion to dismiss tests the sufficiency of the complaint, not the merits of the suit. Autry v. Northwest Premium, Servs., Inc., 144 F.3d 1037, 1039 (7th Cir.1998). The court must view all facts alleged in the complaint, as well as any inferences reasonably drawn from those facts, in the light most favorable to the plaintiff, id., and will grant a motion to dismiss only if it appears beyond doubt that the plaintiff can prove no set of facts entitling him to relief, Venture Assocs. Corp. v. Zenith Data Sys. Corp., 987 F.2d 429, 432 (7th Cir.1993). See also Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 45-46, 78 S.Ct. 99, 2 L.Ed.2d 80 (1957).2

A. McCabe’s Claims Under The FDCPA (Counts I, II and III), ICAA (Count IV) And The ICFA (Counts V and VI)

Counts I, II and III of McCabe’s first amended complaint allege violations of the FDCPA. The FDCPA was enacted “to eliminate abusive debt collection practices by debt collectors ... and ... to protect consumers against debt collection abuses.” 15 U.S.C. § 1692(e). The Act sets forth standards for debt collector communications to consumers. For example, debt collectors must advise consumers of their rights to dispute a debt and to demand verification. See 15 U.S.C. § 1692g. The Act further prohibits collecting a debt through unfair or unconscionable means. See id., § 1692f(l).

The court should examine any potential FDCPA violation through the eyes of the hypothetical “unsophisticated consumer.” See Johnson v. Revenue Mgmt. Corp., 169 F.3d 1057, 1059 (7th Cir.1999) (citing Gammon v. GC Svcs. Ltd. P’ship, 27 F.3d 1254 (7th Cir.1994)). The “unsophisticated consumer” is one “whose reasonable perceptions will be used to determine if collection messages are deceptive or misleading.” Gam[637]*637mon, 27 F.3d at 1257. This standard “protects the consumer who is uninformed, naive, or trusting ... [but also] .... shields complying debt collectors from liability for unrealistic or peculiar interpretations of collection letters.” Id.

1. Count One

Count I of McCabe’s first amended complaint alleges that Crawford’s letter violates provisions of §§ 1692g, 1692f and 1692e of the FDCPA.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
210 F.R.D. 631, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 17997, 2002 WL 31133190, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/mccabe-v-crawford-co-ilnd-2002.