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Filing # 194663474 E-Filed 03/22/2024 07:19:14 PM
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 10TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
IN AND FOR POLK COUNTY, FLORIDA
Case No.
SERGIO PEREZ SILVA,
individually and on behalf of all
those similarly situated,
CLASS ACTION
Plaintiff,
JURY TRIAL DEMANDED
v.
NAVY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION,
Defendant.
/
CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT
Plaintiff Sergio Perez Silva (“Plaintiff”), individually and on behalf
of all those similarly
situated, sues Defendant Navy Federal Credit Union (“Defendant”) for violating the Florida
Consumer Collection Practices Act (“FCCPA”).
JURISDICTION AND VENUE
1 This Court has subject matter jurisdiction pursuant to Florida Rule of Civil
Procedure 1.220 and Fla. Stat. § 26.012(2). The matter in controversy exceeds the sum or value of
$50,000, exclusive of interest, costs, and attorney’s fees.
2 This Court has personal jurisdiction over Defendant because Defendant is
operating, present, and/or doing business within this jurisdiction and because the complained of
conduct of Defendant occurred within Polk County, Florida.
3 Venue of this action is proper in this Court because, pursuant to Fla. Stat. § 47.011,
et seq., the cause of action alleged below arose in Polk County, Florida.
4 Plaintiff has standing to maintain this action because Plaintiff suffered a legal injury
as a result of Defendant’s violations of the FCCPA, and because Plaintiff is not requesting an
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advisory opinion from this Court. Thus, Plaintiff has a sufficient stake in a justiciable controversy
and seeks to obtain judicial resolution of that controversy.
PARTIES
5 Plaintiff is a natural person, and a citizen of the State of Florida, residing in Polk
County, Florida.
6 Defendant is a credit union, with its principal place of business located in Vienna,
Virginia.
DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL
7 Plaintiff, respectfully, demands a trial by jury on all counts and issues so triable.
ALLEGATIONS
8 On a date better known by Defendant, Defendant began attempting to collect a debt
(the “Consumer Debt”) from Plaintiff.
9. The Consumer Debt is an obligation allegedly had by Plaintiff to pay money arising
from a transaction between the creditor of the Consumer Debt, Defendant, and Plaintiff (the
“Subject Service”).
10. Plaintiff is the alleged debtor of the Consumer Debt.
I. The Subject Service was primarily for personal, family, or household purposes.
12. The FCCPA defines “communication” as “the conveying of information regarding
a debt directly or indirectly to any person through any medium.” Fla. Stat. § 559.55(2).
13. Defendant is a “person” within the meaning of Fla. Stat. § $59.72.
14, Section 559.72(17) of the FCCPA prohibits persons from communicating with a
debtor between the hours of 9:00 PM and 8:00 AM in the debtor’s time zone without the prior
consent of the debtor.
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2024CA-001165-0000-00 Received in Polk 03/22/2024 07:21 PM
THE FIRST COMMUNICATION
15. On February 4, 2024, Defendant sent an electronic mail communication to Plaintiff
(the “First Communication”).
16. Attached as Exhibit “A” is a copy of the First Communication.
17. The First Communication was a communication in connection with the collection
of the Consumer Debt.
18. The First Communication was sent by Defendant and delivered to Plaintiff's
personal e-mail address.
19. The First Communication advised: “Time to Schedule a Payment|.] This is a
reminder that a payment of $20.00 for your Navy Federal Visa ending in [redacted] is due by
02/11/24... . As always, you can easily check balances, make deposits, view transactions, pay
bills, transfer funds, and more 24/7 via our Mobile app* or by signing in at navyfederal.org[.]”
20. The First Communication was sent by Defendant to Plaintiff at 7:38 AM in
Plaintiff's time zone.
21. The First Communication was received by Plaintiff from Defendant at 7:38 AM in
Plaintiff's time zone.
THE SECOND COMMUNICATION
22. On or about March 4, 2024, Defendant sent an electronic mail communication to
Plaintiff (the “Second Communication”).
23. Attached as Exhibit “B” is a copy of the Second Communication.
24, The Second Communication was a communication in connection with the
collection of the Consumer Debt.
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2024CA-001165-0000-00 Received in Polk 03/22/2024 07:21 PM
25. The Second Communication was sent by Defendant and delivered to Plaintiff's
personal e-mail address.
26. The Second Communication advised: “Time to Schedule a Payment|.] This is a
reminder that a payment of $20.00 for your Navy Federal Visa ending in [redacted] is due by
03/11/24... . As always, you can easily check balances, make deposits, view transactions, pay
bills, transfer funds, and more 24/7 via our Mobile app* or by signing in at navyfederal.org{[.]”
27. The Second Communication was sent by Defendant to Plaintiff at 7:38 AM in
Plaintiff's time zone.
28. The Second Communication was received by Plaintiff from Defendant at 7:38 AM
in Plaintiff's time zone.
CLASS ALLEGATIONS
PROPOSED CLASS
29. Plaintiff brings this lawsuit as a class action on behalfof Plaintiff, individually, and
on behalf
of all other similarly situated persons. The “Class” that Plaintiff seeks to represent is the
below defined “FCCPA Class.”
30. The “FCCPA Class” consists of: [1] all persons with Florida addresses [2] that
Defendant or someone on Defendant’s behalf [3] sent an electronic mail communication to [4]
between 9:00 PM and 8:00 AM [5] in connection with the collection of a consumer debt.
31. Defendant and its employees or agents are excluded from the Class.
32. Plaintiff does not know the number of members in the Class but believes the
number is in the several thousands, if not more.
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2024CA-001165-0000-00 Received in Polk 03/22/2024 07:21 PM
NUMEROSITY
33. Upon information and belief, Defendant has sent thousands of electronic mail
communications to Florida consumers between 9:00 PM and 8:00 AM, whereby such electronic
mail communication(s) violate 559.72(17). The members of the Class, therefore, are believed to
be so numerous that joinder of all members is impracticable.
34. The exact number and identities of the Class members are unknown at this time and
can be ascertained only through discovery. Identification of the Class members $a matter capable
of ministerial determination from Defendant’s e-mail records.
COMMON QUESTIONS OF LAW AND FACT
35. There are numerous questions of law and fact common to the Class which
predominate over any questions affecting only individual members of the Class. Among the
questions of law and fact common to the Class are: [1] Whether Defendant sent an electronic
communication to Plaintiff and members of the Class in connection with the collection of a
consumer debt; [2] Whether Defendant sent such communication(s) between 9:00 PM and 8:00
AM; [3] Whether Defendant should be enjoined from such conduct in the future.
36. The common questions in this case are capable of having common answers. If
Plaintiff's claim that Defendant routinely sends electronic mail communication(s) that violate
559.72(17) is accurate, Plaintiff and members of the Class will have identical claims capable of
being efficiently adjudicated and administered in this case.
TYPICALITY
37. Plaintiff's claims are typical of the claims of the members of the Class, as they are
all based on the same factual and legal theories.
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PROTECTING THE INTERESTS OF THE CLASS MEMBERS
38. Plaintiff is a representative who will fully and adequately assert and protect the
interests of the Class and has retained competent counsel. Accordingly, Plaintiff is an adequate
representative and will fairly and adequately protect the interests of the Class.
SUPERIORITY
39. A class action is superior to all other available methods for the fair and efficient
adjudication of this lawsuit because individual litigation of the claims of all members of the Class.
is economically unfeasible and procedurally impracticable. While the aggregate damages sustained
by members of the Class are in the millions of dollars, the individual damages incurred by each
member of the Class resulting from Defendant’s wrongful conduct are too small to warrant the
expense of individual lawsuits. The likelihood of individual members of the Class prosecuting
their own separate claims is remote, and, even if every member of the Class could afford individual
litigation, the court system would be unduly burdened by individual litigation of such cases.
40. The prosecution of separate actions by members of the Class would create a risk of
establishing inconsistent rulings and/or incompatible standards of conduct for Defendant. For
example, one court might enjoin Defendant from performing the challenged acts, whereas another
may not. Additionally, individual actions may be dispositive of the interests of the Class, although
certain class members are not parties to such actions.
Count 1
VIOLATION OF FLA. STAT. § 559.72(17)
41. Plaintiff, individually and on behalfof the FCCPA Class, incorporates by reference
{| 8-40 of this Class Action Complaint.
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110 SE 6th Street, 17th Floor | Ft. Lauderdale. Flor 1 | Phone (954) 907-1136 | Fax (853) 529-9540
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2024CA-001165-0000-00 Received in Polk 03/22/2024 07:21 PM
42. Pursuant to § 559.72(17) of the FCCPA, in collecting consumer debts, no person
shall: “/cJommunicate with the debtor between the hours of 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. in the debtor's time
cone without the prior consent of the debtor.” Fla Stat. § 559.72(17) (emphasis added).
43. As set forth above, Defendant sent multiple electronic communications to Plaintiff
in connection with the collection of the Consumer Debt. See Exhibits A-B (collectively, the
“Electronic Communications”). Each of the Electronic Communications were sent to Plaintiff
between the hours of 9:00 PM and 8:00 AM in the time zone of Plaintiff. Defendant did not have
the consent of Plaintiff to communicate with Plaintiff between the hours of 9:00 PM and 8:00 AM.
As such, by and through each of the Electronic Communications, Defendant violated § 559.72(17)
of the FCCPA.
44. WHEREFORE, Plaintiff, individually and on behalfof the FCCPA Class, requests
relief and judgment as follows:
(a) Determine this action is a proper class action under Florida Rule of Civil
Procedure;
(b) A declaration that Defendant’s conduct and/or practices described herein
violate § 559.72(17);
(c) Award Plaintiff and members of the FCCPA Class statutory damages
pursuant to Fla. Stat., § 559.77(2);
(d) Enjoin Defendant from future violations of Fla. Stat., § 559.72(17) with
respect to Plaintiff and the FCCPA Class;
(e) Award Plaintiff and members of the FCCPA Class reasonable attorneys’
fees and costs, including expert fees, pursuant to Fla. Stat., § 559.77(2); and
(f) Any other relief that this Court deems appropriate under the circumstances.
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LAW OFFICES OF JIBRAEL S. HINDI, PLLC
110 SE 6th Street, 17th Floor | Ft. Lauderdale. Flor 1 | Phone (954) 907-1136 | Fax (853) 529-9540
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2024CA-001165-0000-00 Received in Polk 03/22/2024 07:21 PM
Dated: March 22, 2024
Respectfully Submitted,
/s/ Zane C. Hedaya
JIBRAEL S. HINDI, ESQ.
Florida Bar No.: 118259
E-mail: jibrael @jibraellaw.com
JENNIFER G. SIMIL, ESQ.
Florida Bar No.: 1018195
E-mail: jen @jibraellaw.com
ZANE C. HEDAYA, ESQ.
Florida Bar No.: 1048640
E-mail: zane @jibraellaw.com
GERALD D. LANE, JR., ESQ.
Florida Bar No.: 1044677
E-mail: gerald @jibraellaw.com
The Law Offices of Jibrael S. Hindi
110 SE 6th Street, Suite 1744
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33301
Phone: 954-907-1136
COUNSEL FOR PLAINTIFF
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LAW OFFICES OF JIBRAEL S. HINDI, PLLC
110 SE 6th Street, 17th Floor | Ft. Lauderdale. F 301 | Phone (954) 907-1136 | Fax (83 9540
www
2024CA-001165-0000-00 Received in Polk 03/22/2024 07:21 PM
Exhibit A
2024CA-001165-0000-00 Received in Polk 03/22/2024 07:21 PM
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