Why is Client Services Calling Me? How to Settle Debt

George Simons | January 28, 2025

George Simons
Co-Founder of SoloSuit
George Simons, JD/MBA

George Simons is the co-founder and CEO of SoloSuit. He has helped Americans protect over $1 billion from predatory debt lawsuits. George graduated from BYU Law school in 2020 with a JD-MBA. In his spare time, George likes to cook, because he likes to eat.

Edited by Hannah Locklear

Hannah Locklear
Editor at SoloSuit
Hannah Locklear, BA

Hannah Locklear is SoloSuit’s Marketing and Impact Manager. With an educational background in Linguistics, Spanish, and International Development from Brigham Young University, Hannah has also worked as a legal support specialist for several years.

Summary: If Client Services contacts you about a debt, verify it, send a debt validation letter, negotiate a settlement in writing, and most importantly, don’t ignore it. Solo can help you negotiate with Client Services to settle your debt and resolve the matter.

Client Services is calling you because you owe a debt, or at least they think you do.

The American debt collection industry is booming with no sign of slowing. Over 7,000 collection agencies, valued at $18.8 billion, reap roughly $13.4 billion in annual revenue.

Your creditor will probably contact you if you fall behind on a bill for the first time. If the account goes unpaid, it's often transferred to a debt collector. One of these collection agencies is Client Services, Inc., commonly referred to as CSI.

The federal government offers substantial protection for consumers. According to the Fair Debt Collections Practices Act, collection agencies are barred from using abusive or threatening language, harassing customers, or providing misleading information about their debt. FDCPA governs how debt collectors and creditors report delinquent debts to credit reporting agencies.

Knowing your rights involves being proactive with debt collectors. Below, we'll discuss the steps you should take when contacted by a debt collector like Client Services.

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You can negotiate debt settlement at any stage of the collections process. SoloSettle makes it easy.

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What is Client Services, Inc?

Client Services, Inc. (CSI) is a debt collection company based in St. Charles, Missouri, with an office in Kansas Lenexa. It collects on many types of accounts, including auto loans, student loans, credit cards, healthcare, and more.

Since it's common for CSI to contact consumers about debts they do not recognize (or even debts they have already paid off), it's important for you to verify the debt before taking any action.

Who does Client Services, Inc. collect for?

CSI collects for clients in the medical field, including hospitals, providers, and clinics. The agency also collects debts for clients in the following industries:

  • Automotive
  • Financial services
  • Government
  • Education
  • Insurance
  • Retail
  • Utilities

If you see Client Services, Inc. on your credit report but don’t recognize the debt, contact them to obtain the name of the original creditor.

Send Client Services, Inc a debt validation request

No matter how you receive the debt collection notice, verify the amount, the date of the debt, and any other pertinent information. To do this, send a debt validation letter to CSI before taking any other action. Requesting debt validation is your right under the Fair Debt Collection Practices. CSI must respond within 30 days of receiving the letter, and failure to do so means they can no longer contact you about the debt.

The collector must prove you owe the debt in writing. If the creditor cannot verify the money owed by providing accurate documentation, including proof of the amount, account numbers, and ownership of the debt, you have a solid chance to remove the information from your credit report. You might also want to keep an eye out for late fees or extra interest that the original lender or credit card issuer may add to the actual debt amount. You can also negotiate for a significant reduction of these fees if they are not eliminated entirely.

Learn how to make a debt validation letter in the following vide:

Written agreements are essential.

Don’t rely on verbal agreements made over the phone with a debt collector. Instead, keep all communication in writing through email or certified mail. Without a written agreement, you have no way of proving that an agreement exists. If you confirm you owe the debt, gather all the records related to that debt so that you can defend yourself if necessary.

Resolve your debt lawsuit with Client Services Inc.

Clients Services Inc. may have already sued you. If this is the case, you should have received a court Summons and Complaint. These are legal documents that notify you of the suit and list each specific claim that CSI is making against you.

It is overwhelming to be served with a lawsuit, and if you lack the funds to hire a lawyer, it can be tempting to ignore the suit because you feel like it’s hopeless. That is a mistake. Without having to prove anything, a debt collector can be awarded a default judgment against you, allowing them to garnish your wages, place a lien on your property, or even seize your bank account.

Solo makes it easy to preserve your standing in the lawsuit while you work toward a settlement or other resolution. The first step to beating Client Services Inc. in court is to file a written Answer with the court.

When drafting an Answer, keep it simple. This isn't your place to give your side of the story in elaborate detail because the burden of proof is not on you at this stage in the lawsuit. Instead, just answer each allegation listed in the Complaint document (these are usually found in a numbered list) with one of the following answers:

  • Admit (like saying this is true)
  • Deny (like saying, prove it)
  • Deny due to lack of knowledge (like saying, I don't know)

Most attorneys recommend that you deny as many allegations as possible. This requires that CSI prove their case. They might even prefer to dismiss the case rather than go to the trouble of proving all their claims.

Solo helps you represent yourself, which saves you money and the trouble of finding a lawyer. Here are six tips for drafting the best Answer possible (to learn more about these tips, check out the video below):

  1. The Answer isn't the place to tell your side of the story in detail.
  2. Deny claims you don’t know are true
  3. Include defenses
  4. Use standard formatting or “style.”
  5. Include a certificate of service
  6. Sign it

Finally, make sure to file your Answer with the court and send a copy to the attorney representing Client Services. Solo can also help you file your Answer, with an attorney reviewing it before sending it off.

Know your rights

Debt collection agencies, such as Client Services, Inc., are bound by the Federal Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), which protects consumers from unethical debt collection practices.

In your Answer, you should list any of these violations as part of your affirmative defenses section. An affirmative defense is any reason that CSI's case is invalid. Here are some common affirmative defenses you might consider listing in your Answer:

  • The debt is past the statute of limitations: the time frame that CSI had to file a suit against you has run out (the time frame varies by each state).
  • Lack of subject-matter jurisdiction: The court isn't the right type of court (i.e., your case is in regular civil when it should be in Small Claims Court)
  • Lack of personal jurisdiction: The court is in the wrong place (e.g., you live in Texas, and the case is filed in a Florida court).
  • Improper venue: wrong court (i.e., you live in a different county than the one you're being sued in).
  • Insufficient service of process: you are not properly served the Summons and Complaint (i.e., you never received the documents, the documents were delivered to an old address, the documents were taken to your workplace, etc.)
  • Failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted

SoloSuit's Answer form includes affirmative defenses.

Reach a settlement with Client Services, Inc.

Did you know you can negotiate with debt collectors? After you've filed your Answer, it’s time to begin the debt settlement process, Reach out to Client Services to start the negotiation process. Try offering $250 as a settlement, for instance, if you owe $1,000.

Collection agencies may purchase old debts from various companies after those companies have written the debt off. An important caveat in negotiating older debts is knowing the statute of limitations in your state. If the debt is nearing the statute of limitations, it will fall off your credit report unless you take some action that restarts the clock on the debt.

As a result, even if the settlement amount seems small, keep in mind that the collection agency will be happy as long as they make a return on their investment. A payment plan is often possible with agencies, but a lump sum payment may net you a better deal. You can ask the creditor to remove the negative item from your credit report if the debt remains on your credit report after you have paid it.

The following steps will make the settlement process simple.

  1. Carefully evaluate your personal finances to determine how much you can afford to offer as a settlement.
  2. Send the settlement offer to Client Services. Make it clear that this is an offer to settle a debt,outline the hardships that have created this situation, and state your lump sum offer. Be prepared that they may send a counteroffer.
  3. Once you’ve reached an agreement, make sure it is memorialized in a written and signed settlement agreement.
  4. Pay the amount you agreed to pay on time.

SoloSettle leverages technology to help consumers and debt collectors reach an agreement outside of court. It will track your correspondence, help you draft settlement offers, and provide a platform for you to pay the debt collector safely once an agreement is reached.

Learn more about negotiating a settlement from Solo’s founder here:

Read Client Services, Inc. reviews to learn how to engage with its collection agents

Reading online reviews from other consumers can help you determine the best path forward when dealing with CSI. To see what others are saying about the company, visit:

While reviews contain valuable information, please keep in mind that there is a negativity bias that basically means people are far less likely to post positive reviews. However, you’re bound to have a negative experience with Client Services if you ignore them. It’s best to respond, reach out, and communicate clearly about your current financial situation that has led to the missed payments. Client Services collectors will work with you to find a resolution.

Here are a few more tips for dealing with Client Services, Inc.

To protect your rights and avoid any misunderstandings, take the following steps when dealing with debt collectors.

Record the Conversation–Record calls with debt collectors if you have to deal with them over the phone. In 35 states and the District of Columbia, recording phone conversations is legal. You can record in the other 15 states if the other party permits you. Once you tell a debt collector, you will record him and continue speaking; that is considered consent. But debt collectors usually hang up at that point.

Avoid hiding money–If you owe a collection agency money or assets, hiding them is illegal. It's also best not to share personal information, such as bank accounts or credit card numbers.

Do not apply for new credit lines. When you cannot pay your current creditors, you should be wary of using new lines of credit.

Please don't ignore them. It is up to you to handle the situation, but ignoring it will not make it go away. If you ignore them, you set yourself up for a potential lawsuit.

Knowing your state's statute of limitations period is essential. States have different limitations periods of debt. When debt reaches a certain age, it's considered a "zombie debt," which no longer requires payment. The age limit varies between 4-6 years, depending on the state.

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How to Answer a Summons for debt collection in all 50 states

Here's a list of guides on how to respond to a debt collection lawsuit in each state:

The Ultimate 50 State Guide

Debt collector guides

Are you being contacted by a debt collector? We’re making guides on how to resolve debt with each one.

Arbitration

If the thought of going to court stresses you out, you’re not alone. Many Americans who are sued for credit card debt utilize a Motion to Compel Arbitration to push their case out of court and into arbitration.

Below are some resources on how to use an arbitration clause to your advantage and win a debt lawsuit.

Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy is a great way to legally resolve debt, but it's usually best to consider it as a last resort. Here are some bankruptcy guides to help you decide which debt resolution option is best for you.

Check your case status

Don’t have time to go to your local courthouse to check the status of your case? We’ve created state guides on how to check the status of your case throughout the US, complete with online search tools and court directories.

Credit

Debt has a big impact on your credit. Below is a list of guides on how to repair and improve your credit, even while managing major debt, along with other credit-related resources.

Debt collection FAQs

Find answers to some of our the most commonly-asked questions about debt collection below.

Debt collection documents and templates

If you're dealing with debt, these documents and templates will help you respond, protect your rights, negotiate, and resolve your debts.

Debt relief

We’ve created a specialized guide on how to find debt relief in all 50 states, complete with steps to take to find relief, state-specific resources, and more.

Debt settlement

Debt settlement is one of the most effective ways to resolve a debt and save money. We’ve created state guides on debt settlement. Find out how to settle in your state with a simple click and explore other debt settlement resources below.

Eviction

Facing an eviction? The following guides will help you navigate your situation with confidence.

Federal debt collection laws

Knowing your rights makes it easier to stand up for your rights. Below, we’ve compiled all our articles on federal debt collection laws that protect you from unfair practices.

Legal aid

Helping people find access to justice is at the heart of Solo's misison. If you're dealing with a legal debt issue, the following guides will help you through it.

Medical debt

Having a health challenge is stressful, but dealing with medical debt on top of it is overwhelming. Here are some resources on how to manage medical debt.

Personal finance

Learn how to manage your finances and overcome crushing debt. Check out our personal finance guides below.

State debt collection laws

Debt collection laws vary by state, so we have compiled a guide to each state’s debt collection laws to make it easier for you to stand up for your rights—no matter where you live.

Statute of limitations on debt

Like all debt collection laws, the statute of limitations on debt varies by state. So, we wrote guides on each state’s statutes and more.

Stop collection calls

Do you keep getting calls from an unknown number, only to realize that it’s a debt collector on the other line? If you’ve been called by any of the following numbers, chances are you have collectors coming after you, and we’ll tell you how to stop them.

Wage garnishment

Forgot to respond to your debt lawsuit? The judge may have ordered a default judgment against you, and with a default judgment, debt collectors can garnish your wages. Here are our guides on how to stop wage garnishment in your state, plus other wage garnishment resources.

The Debt Hotline

Hosted by Team Solo, The Debt Hotline breaks down debt and personal finance topics with help from attorneys, financial experts, and industry pros. We respond to real questions to help you navigate debt with knowledge and courage.

Other debt resources


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