CITGO Unwanted Texts Class Action Settlement

CITGO Petroleum Corporation Inc. has agreed pay more than $8 million to settle a class action lawsuit alleging it violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act by sending text messages to cell phones without the recipients’ prior express written consent.

If you were sent one or more text messages from CITGO in 2016, you may be entitled to payment from the TCPA class action settlement.

According to the TCPA class action settlement documents, CITGO sponsored text-to-win sweepstakes contests between 2014 and 2016. These contests were promoted at concerts, sporting events, gas stations and theme parks.

Plaintiff Matthew Gottlieb says he entered two CITGO-sponsored sweepstakes contests on July 31, 2015 while he was attending a concert in West Palm Beach, Florida. More than a year later, Gottlieb started receiving text messages notifying him of other sweepstakes contests sponsored by CITGO, he alleges in the CITGO TCPA class action lawsuit.

Gottlieb claims he received a total of three text messages that promoted CITGO-sponsored sweepstakes contests. The CITGO class action settlement documents indicate that text messages similar to the ones Gottlieb received were sent to approximately 93,000 cell phone numbers of consumers who previously entered other CITGO-sponsored sweepstakes contests. These text messages were allegedly sent without the prior written consent of the text message recipients in violation of the TCPA.

The Telephone Consumer Protection Act is a federal law that prohibits certain types of telephone solicitations and the use of automated telephone equipment. Companies are also prohibited from sending text messages to cell phone numbers without the prior written consent of the recipient. Companies found in violation of the TCPA may be subject to statutory penalties ranging from $500 to $1,500 per violation.

CITGO denies the allegations but agreed to settle the TCPA class action lawsuit to avoid the burden and expense of ongoing litigation.

Who’s Eligible

Class Members of the CITGO text message settlement include anyone in the United States who received at least one text message sent by or on behalf of CITGO in August, October and/or November 2016.

Potential Award

To Be Determined. The CITGO class action settlement fund will be distributed on a pro rata basis. The amount each claimant will receive depends on the total number of timely and valid claims filed.

Proof of Purchase

N/A. Class Members must provide the cell phone number that received one or more texts from CITGO and declare under the penalty of perjury that they received one or more text messages sent by or on behalf of CITGO in August, October and/or November 2016.

Claim Form

CLICK HERE TO FILE A CLAIM »

Claim Form Deadline

12/14/2017

Case Name

Matthew Gottlieb v. CITGO Petroleum Corporation, Case No. 9:16-cv-81911-RLR, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Palm Beach Division

Final Hearing

11/29/2017

UPDATE: The CITGO Unwanted Texts Class Action Settlement was granted final approval on November 29, 2017. Let Top Class Actions know when you receive a check in the comments section below or on our  Facebook page.

UPDATE 2: On Feb. 8, 2018, Top Class Actions viewers who filed a valid claim for the CITGO class action settlement started receiving checks worth as much as $1,140.92. Congratulations to everyone who filed a claim and got PAID!

Settlement Website

www.citgoTCPASettlement.com

Claims Administrator

CITGO TCPA Settlement Administrator
c/o Epiq Systems Inc.
P.O. Box 3967
Portland, OR 97208-3967
1-888-457-6608

Class Counsel

Jeff M. Ostrow
Avi R. Kaufman
Scott Edelsberg
KOPELOWITZ OSTROW FERGUSON WEISELBERG GILBERT

Andrew J. Shamis
SHAMIS & GENTILE PA

Defense Counsel

Scott Solberg
EIMER STAHL LLP

Join a Free TCPA Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you were contacted on your cell phone by a company via an unsolicited text message (text spam) or prerecorded voice message (robocall), you may be eligible for compensation under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.

GET A FREE CASE EVALUATION NOW