MARK E. FULLER, Chief Judge.
This cause is before the Court on two motions by which two of the three remaining named defendants to this action seek dismissal, pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), of certain of Plaintiff's claims in the Third Amended Complaint. For the reasons set forth below, the Court finds that the motions are due to be GRANTED, and the claims DISMISSED.
In early December of 2008, Cynthia Brown ("Brown") met with Robert L. Davis ("Davis"), the President of the Tuskegee location of RBC Bank (USA) ("RBC Bank"). Brown sought a consumer loan. Brown executed a Promissory Note and Security Agreement in favor of RBC Bank to obtain $32,000 at an annual interest rate of 10.368%. The loan was secured by a "travel trailer." Rather than signing her own name on the loan documents, Brown signed the name of Plaintiff Charles Sigler ("Sigler"). Brown did not have Sigler's permission to do so. Neither RBC Bank, nor Davis, provided the loan documents to Sigler.
Between December of 2008 and January of 2009, multiple retail establishments, including Sears, Dillard's, and Victory Nissan denied Sigler's applications for credit. Sigler contends that these establishments denied him credit because of information RBC Bank had furnished to credit reporting agencies about the loan. In February of 2009, RBC Bank contacted Sigler about a late payment on the loan. This caused Sigler to begin investigating the matter to determine when and if his identity had been stolen. In March of 2009, Sigler submitted a formal written demand to RBC Bank in which he disputed the debt and requested validation of it. RBC Bank failed or refused to provide Sigler with the information he had demanded. Sigler then visited Davis in an attempt to resolve the matter. Davis told Sigler that Brown had represented that she was authorized to sign Sigler's name on the loan documents. Sigler believes that some sort of personal relationship exists between Davis and Brown and that Davis has loaned Brown some of his own money.
On June 30, 2009, Sigler filed suit against RBC Bank, Brown, Equifax Information Services, LLC ("Equifax"), Trans Union LLC ("Trans Union"). The original complaint (Doc. # 1) sought damages, injunctive relief, and declaratory relief for alleged violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1681, et seq. ("FCRA"). Additionally, Sigler sought relief pursuant to Alabama law for invasion of privacy, defamation, fraudulent misrepresentation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, civil identity theft, felonious injury, civil conspiracy, and negligence or wantonness. RBC Bank filed a motion to
By the allegations of the Third Amended Complaint, Sigler seeks damages, injunctive relief and declaratory relief against RBC Bank, Brown, and Davis.
On October 30, 2009, RBC Bank moved this Court to dismiss the invasion of privacy and defamation counts from the Third Amended Complaint arguing that these claims are barred by the FCRA and that the FCRA preempts state law claims arising in circumstances such as those alleged in this action. The Court directed Sigler to respond to the substance of this motion rather than to seek to once again amend his complaint. Davis filed a motion similar to that RBC Bank had filed in November of 2009. Sigler opposes RBC Bank's motion, but he has advised the Court that he does not object to the granting of Davis' motion.
This Court has subject matter jurisdiction over this case pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 and 1367. Additionally, Defendants have not argued that the Court does not have personal jurisdiction over them. Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1391(b), venue is appropriate in this district because a substantial part of the events or omissions giving rise to the claims occurred in this judicial district.
A Rule 12(b)(6) motion tests the legal sufficiency of the complaint. Prior to the Supreme Court's decision in Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007), a motion to dismiss could only be granted if a plaintiff could prove "no set of facts ... which would entitle him to relief." See Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 45-46, 78 S.Ct. 99, 2 L.Ed.2d 80 (1957); see also Hishon v. King & Spalding, 467 U.S. 69, 73, 104 S.Ct. 2229, 81 L.Ed.2d 59 (1984); Wright v. Newsome, 795 F.2d 964, 967 (11th Cir. 1986). Now, "[t]o 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 Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007)); Sinaltrainal v. Coca-Cola Co., 578 F.3d 1252, 1268 (11th Cir.2009). A complaint states a facially plausible claim for relief "when the plaintiff pleads factual content that allows the court to draw a reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged." Iqbal,
RBC Bank and Davis contend that the FCRA preempts Sigler's state law causes of action for defamation and invasion of privacy for allegedly publishing inaccurate information to credit reporting agencies. Sigler disputes this contending that these claims are within a recognized exception within the FCRA. Resolution of this dispute logically begins with an examination of the FCRA.
When Congress enacted the FCRA, it recognized that the banking system is dependent upon fair and accurate credit reporting which is completed in large part by consumer reporting agencies. 15 U.S.C. § 1681(a). Consequently, it established an elaborate regulatory structure intended to require that consumer reporting agencies adopt reasonable procedures for meeting the needs of commerce for consumer credit, personnel, insurance, and other information in a manner which is fair and equitable. 15 U.S.C. § 1681(b). In addition, Congress devised a regulatory structure which imposes duties upon commercial entities which furnish information to credit reporting agencies.
Islam v. Option One Mortgage Corp., 432 F.Supp.2d 181, 185 (D.Mass.2006).
By its terms, 15 U.S.C. § 1681t(b)(1)(F) explicitly preempts all state laws in the areas covered by § 1681s-2:
15 U.S.C. § 1681t(b)(1)(F). "This section has been called `the absolute immunity provision' which, if applicable, bars any state law claim based on conduct which is governed by § 1681s-2." Gibbs v. SLM Corp., 336 F.Supp.2d 1, 11 (D.Mass.2004). Accord, Johnson v. JP Morgan Chase Bank DBA Chase Manhattan, 536 F.Supp.2d 1207, 1215 (E.D.Cal.2008); Leet v. Cellco Partnership, 480 F.Supp.2d 422, 429 (D.Mass.2007). Simply put this section "does not allow for state law prohibitions or requirements which relate to the responsibilities of furnishers of information to consumer reporting agencies." Knudson v. Wachovia Bank, N.A., 513 F.Supp.2d 1255, 1259 (M.D.Ala.2007) (Albritton, J.).
Sigler contends that another provision of the FCRA saves his claims under Alabama law for defamation and invasion of privacy at least against RBC Bank.
15 U.S.C. § 1681h(e). Sigler contends that because he alleges that RBC Bank furnished false and inaccurate information to one or more credit reporting agencies maliciously and with willful intent to injure Sigler and that because he was subsequently denied credit as a result of the reported information, § 1681h(e) allows him to bring this suit. This argument brings this case squarely into what one commentator describes as "a morass of muddled statutory construction." Quarles, Randall D., Splintered District Courts Continue to Struggle with Federal Preemption of Credit-Reporting Claims, 27 No. 3 Banking & Fin. Servs. Policy Rep. 8(2008).
RBC Bank contends that § 1681h(e) is inapplicable to RBC Bank because it is not a consumer reporting agency or a user of information. Specifically, RBC Bank contends that the remaining portions of § 1681h(e) on which Sigler relies only applies to suits against consumer reporting agencies or users of information.
Knudson, 513 F.Supp.2d at 1259-60 (emphasis added). It is undisputed that Sigler alleges that RBC Bank is a furnisher of information and not that it is a consumer reporting agency or that it is sued in its capacity as a user of information which has taken an adverse action against Sigler. Accordingly, § 1681h(e) is not applicable to this action and does not conflict with § 1681t(b)(1)(F). See, e.g., Johnson, 536 F.Supp.2d at 1215; Knudson, 513 F.Supp.2d at 1260; Leet, 480 F.Supp.2d at 430; Islam, 432 F.Supp.2d at 193-94.
Because this Court finds that § 1681h(e) has no application to this case and because Counts Two and Three of the Third Amended Complaint clearly implicate the responsibilities of RBC Bank as a furnisher of information to consumer reporting agencies, it is quite clear that § 1681t(b)(1)(F) preempts Sigler's attempts to use state law to seek relief based on allegations that RBC Bank reported information to credit reporting agencies. For this reason, RBC Bank's motion is due to be GRANTED.
For the foregoing reasons, it is hereby ORDERED as follows:
1. Defendant Robert L. Davis's Partial Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff's Third Amended Complaint (Doc. #49) is GRANTED.
3. Count Two and Count Three of the Third Amended Complaint are DISMISSED with PREJUDICE to the extent that they allege claims against Defendants Robert L. Davis or Defendant RBC Bank (USA) because those claims are preempted by provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq.