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A pair of consumers accuse Kohl’s of abusive and outrageous debt collection tactics in lawsuits that claim the retailer inundated them with calls, faxes, and emails about their credit card debt.
Two separate lawsuits were filed against Kohl’s in Wisconsin and California federal courts Friday.
In one of the complaints, Wisconsin resident Victoria Bauman says that she has been subjected to unrelenting debt collection actions by Kohl’s after she fell behind on her credit card payments. She says she has asked the retailer to stop, but still receives two to three calls a day from debt collectors.
Bauman says she signed up for a Kohl’s credit card in 2012 for personal use. She says she made payments, but became financially unable to cover the credit card bill eventually. Bauman claims that Kohl’s began contacting her about the missed payments and she faxed a letter to the company withdrawing her consent to be contacted on her cell phone about the debt in October of 2020.
Despite this request, the lawsuit alleges that Kohl’s continued to use Bauman’s cell phone to demand payment on her credit card debt. Bauman says that Kohl’s uses automatic dialing technology to continue to contact her up to three times each day.
In the other complaint, California resident Ginger Paulin says she applied for a Kohl’s credit card in 2017. She says she became financially unable to keep up with the credit card debt and stopped making payments.
Paulin says that, in January, Kohl’s started contacting her about the credit card debt. Paulin says she hired legal counsel and asked the retailer to stop contacting her directly about the debt; however, the debt collection calls kept coming.
The lawsuits accuse Kohl’s of violating federal and state consumer protection laws by continuing to harass Bauman and Paulin about their credit card debts despite their repeated requests for the retailer to stop.
Bauman and Paulin say that Kohl’s continued contact and use of automatic dialing technology to contact them violates the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). The TCPA was enacted to protect consumers from harassment from marketers by phone. The TCPA requires companies obtain the express, written consent of the consumer before using their phone number to contact them.
In addition, the TCPA restricts the use of automatic dialing technology the plaintiffs say Kohl’s used to contact them about their credit card debt. Indeed, violations of the TCPA can result in steep fines of up to $1,500 per call or contact.
Bauman and Paulin are each seeking to assess those penalties on Kohl’s, along with other damages under state laws.
Do you have a Kohl’s credit card? Have you been harassed over debt collection? Tell us about it in the comment section below!
Plaintiff Bauman is represented by Elliot Gale of Gale, Angelo, Johnson, & Pruett, PC.
The Wisconsin Kohl’s Debt Collection Lawsuit is Bauman v. Kohl’s Corporation, Case No. 1:21-cv-00519 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
Plaintiff Paulin is represented by Elliot Gale and Joe Angelo of Gale, Angelo, Johnson, & Pruett, PC.
The California Kohl’s Debt Collection Lawsuit is Paulin v. Kohl’s Inc., Case No. 5:21-cv-02948-NC in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, San Jose Division.
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38 thoughts onKohl’s Credit Card Holders Claim Harassing Debt Collection Calls in Lawsuits
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Has anybody noted on their bill TWO interest rates? I havent had a good explanation for this. One is on the goods I bought, then the second interest rate is for total of the bill. By the way, I noted at one time my card was backed by Capitol One, which they are notoriously known for these calls and for their slickness. I would have never gotten this card if known. Years ago I had CC and got behind, due to going from two incomes to one, being me. Had to file Bankruptcy.
I lost my job due to Covid-19. I’ve been a valued customer of Kohl’s for 11 years paying on time with one maybe two late payments in 11 years. I contacted them begging for a hardship program to reduce the payment or interest to prevent my account from falling behind. They never gave me any options and finally, I asked to close my account hoping to slow the balance from continuing to grow quickly. They continued to charge me late fees and call me multiple times a day everyday. I answered many of the calls continuing to ask for some help because of limited income. They were asking me to pay $135 a month on an unemployment income of $341 a week along with other bills was impossible.
I have about ten other creditors and all of them worked out hardship payments I could afford except Kohl’s. It seems like they wanted me to fall behind and then harassed me daily with calls from 8am through out the day under different phone numbers and I’m sick of it. Now they say they will charge off my acct after it has grown $800 higher in eight months. I am so tired of Kohl’s and how they treated me, a so called valued customer. What a slap in the face. I hope you can help me.
Add me please, they call me 20 times a day, I’m very sick with terminal cancer. Cannot pay my bill at this time. Need to pay alot of copays for treatment just to stay alive.