As the class action lawsuit that was brought against Citibank this year draws to a close, it is anticipated that claimants who are entitled to receive compensation will get a sum ranging from $350 to $850, depending on the severity of their case.
Class action lawsuits make it possible for groups of people, also referred to as “classes,” to seek legal action collectively within the court system.
It is common for a single person or a small group of people to launch these cases, which assert that a firm or entity has caused injury to a larger group of people who have comparable complaints.
As soon as a case earns the status of a class action, it becomes applicable to all members who have been affected, not just those who initially filed the lawsuit.
Companies frequently opt to settle disputes of this nature, providing compensation to class members who, by accepting payments, typically give up their ability to pursue additional legal recourse.
The Citibank settlement details
According to the allegations made in this particular instance, Citibank is accused of breaching the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 by sending customers an excessive number of unsolicited robocalls over the course of the past ten years regarding past-due credit card balances.
Due to the fact that this Act prohibits businesses or debt collectors from calling clients or prospective customers using automatic dialing systems.
Artificial or prerecorded voice messages, SMS text messages, and fax machines, Citibank would be subject to a significant fine in the event that it was discovered that they had abused these mediums in order to contact their customers.
The bank, however, denied any wrongdoing on their part and declared that they had decided to resolve the matter out of court in order to avoid dragging it out and a possible further investigation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC),
Which is responsible for overseeing the correct application of the Act. This is typical of the majority of class action lawsuits. In order to accomplish this, it came to an agreement that would result in a settlement of $29.5 million being dispersed among the victims.
Obviously, not everyone was contacted as frequently, and not everyone had the same level of disturbance to their daily lives as a result of the unsolicited calls; hence, the majority of claimants will get a sum that falls somewhere between $350 and $850.
There is a possibility that those who can demonstrate that they have received more than five calls will be eligible to receive up to $2,500, which is the maximum sum that has been allotted to each affected individual.
In order to obtain the funds, claimants will be required to demonstrate that they were the recipients of these calls. This can be accomplished by presenting evidence such as screenshots, phone records, or other evidence that documents the fact that they received the calls, such as recorded messages.
Before the 20th of December, which has been established as the deadline for filing a claim, all of the evidence will need to be gathered and prepared for presentation.
Claimants should have ample opportunity to seek for any records that they are required to receive from the phone company, notwithstanding the fact that the meager four weeks may not appear to be sufficient time.
The impacted individuals will have received calls for a past-due credit card account between the dates of August 15, 2014 and July 31, 2024.
This will make it easier to narrow down the dates between which the cases occurred. The vast majority of these impacted individuals will have never been customers of Citibank;
Nevertheless, there is a possibility that some current and past customers may have been affected as well and may be eligible to receive a portion of the distribution.
Those individuals who are interested in submitting a claim can do so online by clicking on the link that is provided below. It is imperative that you provide all pertinent information within the allotted period. It has been decided that the final approval hearing will take place on January 14, 2025.
Those individuals who seek to be excluded from the lawsuit in order to be able to submit a separate claim in the future will also be required to present proof that explains this.
However, prior to providing this documentation, it is recommended that you consult with a separate attorney in order to determine whether or not your claim has the potential to be proved in the future.
In light of this, it will be even more important to collect as much information as possible and as many papers as possible that outline the harassment.