Citibank’s Debt-Collection Calls Violated TCPA, Alleges Complaint

Citibank and its subsidiary Department Stores National Bank unlawfully tried to collect a debt owed by plaintiff Aurora Medrano by repeatedly phoning her using an automated telephone dialing system or artificial or prerecorded voice in violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and California’s Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, alleged Medrano’s complaint Wednesday (docket 3:22-cv-01986) in U.S. District Court for Southern California in San Diego. Medrano started two Citibank credit card accounts before 2020 and maintained them “in good standing” until this May when she faced financial hardship and was unable to keep up with her monthly payments, said the complaint. The debt collection calls intensified, often coming twice a day, it said. The calls continued even after Medrano hired a lawyer to send Citibank a cease and desist letter warning it to stop, it said. Citibank didn’t comment on the complaint.