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How to Respond to a Debt Lawsuit vs United Collection Bureau

Hannah Locklear | June 29, 2023

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: United Collection Bureau is one of the many debt collection companies that will take advantage of your uncertainty and attempt to pressure you into paying an alleged debt. If you’ve been sued by United Collection Bureau, it’s important to respond to the lawsuit with an Answer document where you respond to each claim and assert your affirmative defenses. SoloSuit can help you draft and file an Answer before the deadline.

The average American has thousands of dollars in debt, which includes credit card debt, student loans, mortgages, and auto loans. With such a large amount of debt, it is not uncommon for consumers to receive debt collection calls.

You have rights under the FDCPA and can ask the debt collection agency to cease harassing communications and validate the debt. Use SoloSuit's online resources if you are unsure where to begin if you need assistance, mainly if the matter goes to court.

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Who is United Collection Bureau, Inc?

United Collection Bureau, Inc. (UCB) is a debt collection agency that specializes in collections for healthcare facilities, financial services businesses and government entities. Founded in 1959, UCB has been around for over 50 years. As part of its services, UCB offers primary collection, secondary collection, and legal options to its clients.

Below is United Collection Breau’s contact information:

Mailing address: 5620 Southwyck Blvd., Toledo, OH 43614
Phone number: 866-209-0622
Email address: ucbcompliance@ucbinc.com

Even though United Collection Bureau boasts performing collections “in a compassionate environment,” consumer reviews suggest otherwise. Keep reading for real reviews on UCB.

Customer reviews and complaints about United Collection Bureau, Inc.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has received hundreds of complaints against UCB, and there are also dozens of complaints listed on the United Collection Bureau’s BBB page.

Here’s an example of a real complaint against United Collection Bureau from its BBB profile:

“I keep receiving phone calls claiming I have an outstanding debt with no proof from United Collections. I’ve received over 10 calls within the last 5 business days. And the calls are early in the morning, late at night and it’s becoming harassing. I fear if I don’t do something the harassment won’t stop. Repeated voice messages are being left and family members have received calls from this company regarding their debt collection practices. It’s becoming extremely alarming. United Collection Bureau is in violation of fair debt collection practices and have provided zero proof this debt belongs to me.”

In most of these complaints, United Collection Bureau failed to validate a debt or called so frequently that they could be in violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA).

It’s important to stand up for your rights as a consumer. The FDCPA regulates actions that debt collectors like UCB can take in order to collect a debt. To learn more about your rights as a consumer, check out our guide on FDCPA Violations List. If UCB has violated your rights under the FDCPA, you may be eligible for compensation.

United Collection Bureau, Inc. should verify the debt

Whenever United Collection Bureau contacts you about a delinquent account, do not agree with or accept ownership. Why? Because UCB has sometimes pursued debts from people who owe nothing.

UCB must prove that you owe the debt after you send them a Debt Validation Letter. Ensure this request is in writing and sent by certified mail because UCB may be in violation of the FDCPA if it does not respond to your request for debt validation.

Other times, the Debt Validation Letter prompts some debt collectors to give up on their debt collection efforts. With SoloSuit, drafting takes minutes. Check out our guide on How to Make a Debt Validation Letter.

How to respond to a debt lawsuit vs United Collection Bureau, Inc.

In some cases, UCB may sue you. In order to avoid losing by default judgment, you should respond to the Complaint and Summons as soon as possible. Taking that step can be challenging, but SoloSuit can help and point you toward additional resources.

Even if you plan to settle the issue before your court date, file an Answer to UCB’s Complaint. The Answer prevents UCB from gaining a default judgment against you if a settlement cannot be reached.

Follow these three steps to respond to your debt lawsuit against United Collection Bureau:

  1. Answer each claim in the Complaint.
  2. Assert your affirmative defenses.
  3. File the Answer and send a copy to the opposing lawyer.

Below, we’ll break down these steps further. Don’t like reading? Check out this video instead:

1. Answer each claim in the Complaint

When you get sued, you typically receive two documents: the Summons and Complaint. The Summons notifies you of the debt. The Complaint, also known as a Petition, lists all the specific claims against you.

Take a moment to read the Complaint from United Collection Bureau, Inc. In your Answer document, respond to each claim in corresponding order using one of the following options:

  • Admit: like saying, “this is true.”
  • Deny: like saying, “prove it.”
  • Deny due to lack of knowledge: like saying, “I don’t know.”

Check the facts against your records and note how much money they request. In your response to the lawsuit, include any discrepancies as affirmative actions as below.

2. Assert your affirmative defenses

An affirmative defense states that the Complaint's facts do not warrant the defendant (you) losing the case. A case strategy is incomplete without them. Include your affirmative defenses in your Answer document.

Here are some examples of affirmative defenses for debt lawsuits:

  • The statute of limitations on the debt is up.
  • The debt is not yours.
  • The debt is a result of identity theft.
  • The case is filed in the wrong court.
  • You’ve already paid or settled the debt.

It’s important to list your affirmative defenses in your Answer, because you may not get to bring them up late in the case. The more affirmative defenses you list, the stronger your case will be. SoloSuit makes it easier to make the right defense the right way.

3. File the Answer and send a copy to the opposing lawyer

Once you have responded to the Complaint paragraphs and asserted your affirmative defenses, you are ready to file your Answer. If you do not file it before your state’s deadline, you may be at risk of losing the case.

Use our debt lawsuit deadline calculator to determine how long you have to respond to your case against UCB:

Deadline Calculator

Select your state.

Select the day you were served.


Your deadline

This calculator is for educational purposes only. It does not factor in weekends or holidays, so your actual deadline may be some days later.


Filling with the court isn’t all. You should also serve your Answer document to the opposing lawyer. The attorney's address can be found in the Summons and Complaint documents, but the court's address may not be included.

SoloSuit can file your Answer for you in all 50 states.

What is Solo?

Solo makes it easy to resolve debt with debt collectors.

You can use SoloSuit to respond to a debt lawsuit, to send letters to collectors, and even to settle a debt. SoloSuit's Answer service is a step-by-step web-app that asks you all the necessary questions to complete your Answer. Upon completion, we'll have an attorney review your document and we'll file it for you.

SoloSettle can help you contact your debt collector or creditor and negotiate the debt to settle for less, all online. It simplifies and streamlines the process to settling your debt.

No matter where you find yourself in the debt collection process, Solo is here to help you resolve your debt.

>>Read the FastCompany article: Debt Lawsuits Are Complicated: This Website Makes Them Simpler To Navigate

>>Read the NPR story on SoloSuit. (We can help you in all 50 states.)

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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