CECILIA M. ALTONAGA, District Judge.
This case arises from a dispute about a bank account opened at Washington Mutual Bank ("WaMu") in 2007.
(Id. ¶ 17) (internal quotation marks omitted). Lazarre, however, denies that the WaMu account was his, asserting he was the victim of identity theft. (See id. ¶¶ 13, 18-19, 21, 22-23, 25-27, 29, 31). Subsequently, Chase acquired WaMu and reported
Around October 2009, Lazarre first contacted Chase to dispute its report of the WaMu account and associated fraudulent activity to Early Warning. (See id. ¶ 18). Also in October 2009, Lazarre first notified Early Warning it was incorrectly reporting the WaMu account and associated fraudulent activity on its consumer reports. (See id. ¶ 19). In both instances, Lazarre informed Chase and Early Warning that the WaMu account did not belong to him. (See id. ¶¶ 18-19).
In November 2009, Early Warning contacted Chase regarding Lazarre and the disputed WaMu account. (See id. ¶ 20).
On May 25, 2010, Lazarre asked Early Warning for an explanation of its reinvestigation procedures. (See id. ¶ 29). On June 2, 2010, Early Warning informed Lazarre of its reinvestigation procedures and confirmed that Chase, as the "Furnisher" of information, determined the accuracy of the information reflected in its consumer reports. (See id. ¶ 30). Finally, in June 2010, Lazarre's then recently-opened Region's Bank ("Region's") account was closed as a result of an Early Warning consumer report sent to Region's Bank. (See id. ¶ 35).
Lazarre filed suit against Chase and Early Warning on September 9, 2010. (See Compl. [ECF No. 1]). After Counts I and II of his first Complaint were dismissed without prejudice on December 8, 2010 (see Order 1 [ECF No. 27]), Lazarre filed the Amended Complaint on January 6, 2011. (See Am. Compl.).
In the Amended Complaint, Lazarre asserts that both Early Warning and Chase violated various sections of the FCRA. (See id. ¶¶ 37-54). Specifically, Lazarre alleges that Early Warning violated FCRA sections 1681e(b) and 1681i(a) (Counts I and II) and that Chase violated FCRA sections 1681s-2(b) (Count III). (See id.). Lazarre seeks both actual and statutory damages for these violations. (See id. ¶ 1). Chase now seeks to dismiss Count III of the Amended Complaint for lack of subject-matter jurisdiction and for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6). (See Chase's Mot. ¶¶ 2-16). Early Warning seeks to dismiss Counts I and II of the Amended Complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6). (See Early Warning's Mot. ¶¶ 10-20).
Gomez v. BankUnited, No. 10-21707-CIV, 2011 WL 114066, at *2 (S.D.Fla. Jan. 13, 2011) (quoting Jones v. Georgia, 725 F.2d 622, 623 (11th Cir.1984)).
"Federal courts are courts of limited jurisdiction." Ishler v. Internal Revenue, 237 Fed.Appx. 394, 395 (11th Cir.2007). A court must dismiss a complaint, or portions
Id. (internal citations and quotation marks omitted). The plaintiff bears the burden of establishing the existence of federal subject-matter jurisdiction. See Sweet Pea Marine, Ltd. v. APJ Marine, Inc., 411 F.3d 1242, 1247 (11th Cir.2005); see also Ishler, 237 Fed.Appx. at 395 ("Ultimately, the plaintiff bears the burden of establishing subject matter jurisdiction.").
"`To survive a motion to dismiss, a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to 'state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.'" Ashcroft v. Iqbal, ___ U.S. ___, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 1949, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) (quoting Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007)). "A complaint must state factual allegations that are not merely consistent with the material elements of a claim, but rather, that plausibly suggest the elements." Allmond v. Bank of Am., No. 3:07-cv-186-J-33JRK, 2008 WL 2445652, at *3 (M.D.Fla. June 16, 2008) (citing Twombly, 550 U.S. at 557, 127 S.Ct. 1955). Although this pleading standard "does not require 'detailed factual allegations,' ... it demands more than an unadorned, the defendant-unlawfully-harmed-me accusation." Iqbal, 129 S.Ct. at 1949 (quoting Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955). Pleadings must contain "more than labels and conclusions, and a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will not do." Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955. When reviewing a motion to dismiss, a court must construe the complaint in the light most favorable to the plaintiff and take the factual allegations therein as true. See Brooks v. Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Fla., Inc., 116 F.3d 1364, 1369 (11th Cir.1997).
The FIRREA, Pub. L. No. 101-73, 103 Stat. 183 (1989), as codified in Title 12, United States Code, section 1821, sets forth the procedures for bringing claims against failed lending entities.
12 U.S.C. § 1821(d)(13)(D)' (emphasis added). Courts have construed section 1821(d)(13)(D) as an administrative exhaustion requirement. See Stamm, 121 F.3d at 639 (referring to section 1821(d)(13)(D) as a "statutory exhaustion requirement"); see also Gomez, 2011 WL 114066, at *2 ("Under the terms of the FIRREA, ... a district court can review... a claim ... if the claimant has exhausted his administrative remedies.") (footnote call number omitted). Thus, only after exhaustion of the administrative review procedures set forth in section 1821(d) may a party seek adjudication of a claim in a U.S. District Court.
The Eleventh Circuit has held that this "`statutory exhaustion requirement [] generally applies to post-receivership as well as pre-receivership claims.'" Stamm, 121 F.3d at 639 (quoting Damiano v. Federal Deposit Ins. Corp., 104 F.3d 328, 333 (11th Cir.1997)) (emphasis omitted). "Post-receivership claims encompass at least two rough classes: (1) claims related to conduct by the failed institution that the aggrieved party neglects to assert until after the [FDIC] assumes control over the lending entity; and (2) claims based on the [FDIC's] actions as receiver." Id. (emphasis omitted). Moreover, an entity that purchases a failed lending institution's assets from the FDIC acquires the administrative review protections afforded by section 1821(d). See Am. First Fed., Inc. v. Lake Forest Park, Inc., 198 F.3d 1259, 1263 n. 3 (11th Cir.1999).
Chase asserts that the claims in Count III of the Amended Complaint arise from WaMu's initial act of opening the WaMu account and thus are subject to the FIREA administrative exhaustion requirement. (See Chase's Mot. ¶¶ 1-2, 10) Because Lazarre has not submitted these claims to the FDIC, Chase argues the Court lacks subject-matter jurisdiction to adjudicate them. (See id.). In his Response to Chase's Motion (the "Response") [ECF No. 49], Lazarre concedes he has not complied with the FIRREA administrative exhaustion requirements. (See Resp. 2). Instead, Lazarre maintains: (1) his claims pertain to Chase's conduct only and are unrelated to any act by WaMu, and (2) the administrative exhaustion requirement of the FIRREA only bars from judicial review those claims asserted against a successor lending institution that are predicated on the wrongful conduct of the failed lending institution. (See Resp. 2, 5, 7-8). In so framing his argument, Lazarre ignores the true nature of his claims as pleaded against Chase.
Lazarre alleges Chase violated provisions of the FCRA by consistently concluding the WaMu account was not fraudulent. (See Am. Compl. ¶ 50(iii)) ("CHASE violated... § 1681s-2(b) by failing to correctly report the results to the [CRAs] of what an accurate investigation of Lazarre would have revealed ....); (see also Am. Compl. ¶¶ 50(viii), (x), (xi)). Lazarre also alleges
While Lazarre asserts that his claims are solely "predicated upon Chase's own wrongful conduct" (Resp. 2),
Further, both the FDIC and the Resolution Trust Corporation ("RTC"), in their capacities as receivers for failed lending institutions, have broadly construed the plain language of section 1821(d) to effectuate the Congressional intent that "[they] and not the courts serve as the first line of review under FIRREA." Stamm, 121 F.3d at 641 (noting that the RTC's approach subjects an expanded range of claims to the FIRREA's administrative exhaustion requirement); see also Gomez, 2011 WL 114066, at *4 (explaining that the FDIC has interpreted section 1821(d)(5)(C) to allow administrative review of claims that arise after the claimfiling period). The Eleventh Circuit has found these broad and inclusive constructions of section 1821(d) to be reasonable interpretations of an otherwise ambiguous statute, and thus worthy of deference under Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Res. Def. Council, Inc., 467 U.S. 837, 842-843, 104 S.Ct. 2778, 81 L.Ed.2d 694 (1984).
Permitting a plaintiff to avoid the FDIC's administrative review process by recharacterizing his claims would remove the teeth from the exhaustion requirement. The Court lacks subject-matter jurisdiction over Lazarre's claims against Chase because Lazarre did not first present them to the FDIC for administrative review and adjudication.
Because the Court lacks subject-matter jurisdiction over Lazarre's claims against Chase, the Court does not reach the merits of Chase's Rule 12(b)(6) motion.
"The FCRA is intended 'to prevent consumers from being unjustly damaged because of inaccurate or arbitrary information in a credit report.'" Allmond v. Bank of Am., No. 3:07-cv-186-J33JRK, 2008 WL 2445652, at *2 (M.D.Fla. June 16, 2008) (quoting Equifax v. Fed. Trade Comm'n, 678 F.2d 1047, 1048 (11th Cir. 1982)). Accordingly, the FCRA provides a private right of action against CRAs such as Early Warning. See id. However, "[t]he [FCRA] does not make [CRAs] strictly liable for all inaccuracies in the reports they prepare." Bermudez v. Equifax Info. Servs., LLC, No. 6:07-cv-1492-Orl-31GJK, 2008 WL 5235161, at *2 (M.D.Fla. Dec. 15, 2008) (citing Cahlin v. Gen. Motors Acceptance Corp., 936 F.2d 1151, 1156 (11th Cir.1991)).
Pertinent in the present case are FCRA sections 1681e(b) and 1681i(a). With respect to the accuracy of the information contained in a consumer report, section 1681e(b) provides that "[w]henever a[CRA] prepares a consumer report it shall follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy of the information concerning the individual about whom the report relates." 15 U.S.C. § 1681e(b). When the accuracy of information contained in a consumer report is disputed by a consumer and the consumer notifies the CRA of such dispute, section 1681i(a) provides that the CRA
15 U.S.C. § 1681i(a)(1)(A).
Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), Early Warning asserts Counts II and III of the Amended Complaint, based on the FCRA, fail to state claims upon which relief can be granted and should therefore be dismissed. (See Early Warning's Mot. ¶¶ 2-3, 11-12, 15-16, 19-20, 22, 24).
Lazarre does not allege sufficient facts to state a claim against Early Warning for violation of FCRA section 1681e(b). To state a claim for a violation of FCRA section 1681e(b) a plaintiff must allege: (1) the CRA published an inaccurate consumer report to a third party; (2) in publishing its consumer report, the CRA failed to follow reasonable procedures to ensure the maximum possible accuracy of the consumer report; and (3) the plaintiff suffered actual damages as a result of the CRA's failure to follow reasonable procedures. See Bermudez, 2008 WL 5235161, at *2 (citing Enwonwu v. Trans Union, LLC, 164 Fed.Appx. 914 (11th Cir.2006)). Lazarre does not allege sufficient facts to plausibly suggest that Early Warning failed to follow reasonable procedures to ensure the maximum possible accuracy of the consumer report. Specifically, Lazarre
While Lazarre alleges that Early Warning relied on information furnished to it by Chase in publishing the consumer report (see Am. Compl. ¶ 17), he does not allege or explain why this reliance was unreasonable. See Allmond, 2008 WL 2445652, at *3 (holding that plaintiff did not state a claim for relief under section 1681e(b) where he failed to allege that, in preparing an inaccurate credit report, Early Warning's reliance on information supplied by Bank of America was unreasonable). "[F]ailure to follow reasonable procedures is a material element necessary for recovery under [section] 1681e(b)." Id. at *2. Because Lazarre does not allege sufficient facts to establish that Early Warning did not follow reasonable investigation procedures, Count I of the Amended Complaint fails to state a claim against Early Warning for a violation of FCRA section 1681e(b). Accordingly, Count I must be dismissed.
Lazarre also fails to allege sufficient facts to maintain his claim against Early Warning under FCRA section 1681i(a). To state a claim for a violation of FCRA section 1681i(a) a plaintiff must allege: "(1) the [consumer report in dispute] contains inaccurate or incomplete information; (2) the [plaintiff] notified the [CRA] of the alleged inaccuracy; (3) the dispute is not frivolous or irrelevant; (4) the [CRA] failed to respond or conduct a reasonable reinvestigation of the disputed items; [and] (5) the failure to reinvestigate caused the [plaintiff] to suffer out-of-pocket losses or intangible damages such as humiliation or mental distress." Bermudez, 2008 WL 5235161, at *4. Thus, assuming a dispute is not frivolous and damages are alleged, "to state a claim for violation of [FCRA] section [1681i(a) ], the consumer must allege that the [CRA] had notice of the disputed information and failed to [reasonably] reinvestigate." Allmond, 2008 WL 2445652, at *3.
While Lazarre alleges Early Warning's consumer report was inaccurate and he notified Early Warning of the alleged inaccuracy, he does not allege sufficient facts to plausibly suggest Early Warning failed to respond or conduct a reasonable reinvestigation of the disputed consumer report. First, Lazarre's allegations as to this element once again amount to little more than a "formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action." Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955; (see also Am. Compl. ¶ 44(iv)) ("EARLY WARING violated ... § 1681i(a) by failing to conduct a reasonable reinvestigation concerning the inaccurate information after receiving notice of the dispute from LZARRE...."). Second, the Amended Complaint alleges Early Warning conducted several reinvestigations of the disputed consumer report in response to Lazarre's allegations. (See id. ¶¶ 20-21, 24, 28, 30). Lazarre does not allege sufficient facts to plausibly suggest these reinvestigations were unreasonable. Because Lazarre does not allege sufficient facts to state a claim against Early Warning for violation of FCRA section 1681i(a), Count II of the Amended Complaint must also be dismissed.
Based on the foregoing, it is
1. Chase's Motion to Dismiss Count III of the First Amended Complaint
2. Early Warning's Motion to Dismiss Counts I and II of the First Amended Complaint
3. Plaintiff shall have until April 22, 2011 to file an amended complaint. The failure to do so will result in an order of dismissal.
§ 1681a(d)(1) (footnote call number omitted).
As evidenced by the "reported on" date contained in the consumer report, the WaMu account and associated fraudulent activity were reported to Early Warning on December 17, 2007. (See Chase's Ex. A; see also Chase's Ex. 1). According to the FDIC website, see Failed Financial Institution Contact, http://www2.fdic.gov/drrip/cs/Detail.asp, Chase did not acquire WaMu until September 25, 2008. (Website last visited Mar. 29, 2011). The Court may take judicial notice of this fact, since it is "capable of accurate and ready determination by resort to sources whose accuracy cannot reasonably be questioned." FED. R. EVID. 201. Thus, contrary to Lazarre's allegations, it appears WaMu, not Chase, initially furnished the information that Early Warning subsequently reported to Wachovia and Region's. (Cf. Am. Compl. ¶¶ 17, 32).