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How to Settle Debt with UCB Collection

George Simons | January 27, 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: United Collection Bureau is a third-party debt collection agency, which means other companies and financial institutions hire it to collect on their accounts that have become delinquent. If UCB is suing you for a debt you owe, you have up to 35 days to respond before you automatically lose. Use Solo to respond to your lawsuit against UCB in just 15 minutes.

Have you gotten calls or letters from United Collection Bureau Inc. (UCB) claiming you owe them money? If you're feeling confused or overwhelmed by the idea of a debt collector contacting you, you're not alone. Debt collectors often use very persistent methods and messages in the hopes of collecting debt.

You probably have a lot going on in your life, and it may seem like the best option is to ignore calls and letters from UCB, wishing they would just go away and forget about you. But the truth is, they won't, and things will only get worse for you. It's far better to deal with the requests from UCB right away.

In this article, we'll discuss everything you need to know about UCB, how to respond when they first contact you, and how to respond to a debt collection lawsuit and settle your debt outside of court.

Let's get right to it.

Settle debt with UCB Collection

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What is UCB Inc?

UCB is United Collection Bureau, Inc., based in Toledo, Ohio. They are a massive national collection agency that serves as a third-party debt collector for clients in government, healthcare, utilities, financial services, communications, student loan services, and other areas. If you owe money to companies in these fields, they may hand the matter over to UCB to collect that debt.

If you've never heard of UCB before, that doesn't mean you don't owe money. You can contact UCB debt collectors for more information about the debt they are trying to collect. Here is UCB's contact information:

  • Address: 5620 Southwyck Blvd. Toledo, OH 43614
  • Phone: 866.209.0622
  • Email: sales@ucbinc.com

Use SoloSuit to respond to debt collectors like United Collection Bureau fast.

Who does United Collection Bureau collect for?

United Collection Bureau collects for

Is United Collection Bureau legitimate?

If you're doubting how legitimate a company UCB is, we can assure you it is as legitimate as debt collectors come (though that's a very reasonable question to ask). UCB has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB) since 2013 and currently has an A+ rating. A good rating with the BBB reflects efforts to maintain credibility but doesn’t guarantee a flawless experience for everyone.

It's also helpful to understand how the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) protects consumers. This federal law sets clear rules about what third-party debt collectors can and cannot do, such as limiting communication times and prohibiting harassment. Familiarizing yourself with these protections ensures you’re prepared to address any concerns professionally and assert your rights.

Who does UCB Collection collect for?

United Collection Bureau, Inc. provides debt collection and accounts receivable management services. UCB Collection collects for companies in the following industries:

  • Government
  • Financial services
  • Healthcare (including hospitals and clinics)
  • Telecommunications
  • Utilities

The company creates unique solutions to meet the needs of its clients while maintaining regulatory compliance.

The FDCPA Can Protect You

Knowing you are protected by the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is important in ensuring a positive and fair interaction with UCB or any debt collector. This law outlines what debt collectors can and cannot do, safeguarding you from unfair practices. Here are some common ways debt collection agencies may unintentionally or knowingly violate the FDCPA:

  • Calling more than seven times in seven days
  • Using profane or abusive language
  • Harassing you of any kind
  • Calling at inconvenient times, including before 8 a.m. and after 9 p.m.
  • Asking you to pay more on the debt than you owe
  • Calling at work when they know it is not allowed
  • Telling a third party other than your spouse about your debt
  • Failing to announce themselves as a debt collector
  • Failing to admit the name of the agency they work for
  • Pretending to be law enforcement

Knowing your rights is an important step when dealing with debt collection agencies.

What to do if UCB collectors start contacting you

So, you've started hearing from UCB, and they are saying you owe their client money. It sounds about as fun as getting a root canal. But the good news is that facing these claims does not have to be as painful as dental procedures.

While it's easy to just not deal with something as stressful as paying off a debt you cannot afford right now, you can bet it will only get worse if you delay too long. Like a leaky water pipe, it's better to address the problem ASAP than to wait until your whole house is flooded and ruined. Debt that piles up and goes to collections can wreak havoc on your credit score, leading to more stress down the road.

So, when UCB debt collectors first contact you, send them a Debt Validation Letter, which forces them to validate the debt before they can keep contacting you about it or take legal action.

If UCB cannot prove that you actually owe the debt and that they have the right to collect on it, they can't keep contacting you about it. Failure to validate the debt they are contacting you about is a violation of the FDCPA.

Learn more about debt validation in this video:

If UCB has already validated the debt and is suing you, there is still hope. You don't have to stress about finding a lawyer to help you respond to the case. You can represent yourself in court. Here's how.

Resolve the matter with UCB in court

Ask UCB to prove their case

Third-party debt collectors like UCB sometimes do not have enough information about the debt they are collecting. The original creditor may have given them just the basic information about the debt. Ask them to prove they have the correct information and let the burden of proof be on them to show:

  • You are responsible for the debt
  • They have the legal right to sue
  • The exact amount owed

If you're facing a lawsuit from UCB, don’t be discouraged. As you request for proof and documentation that UCB owns the debt they claim, you can challenge their case effectively. If they can’t provide it, you have a strong advantage. Even if they can, there are still solutions that may work in your favor.

You should also be aware of the statute of limitations on debt in your state. Typically, it's between three and six years. The details of the law vary from state to state, but essentially, if you have not had any activity on the account during the timeframe specified in your state (any payment on the debt can restart the clock), then it's too old for UCB to sue you. However, that defense only works if you do your part and file your Answer.

If you ignore the lawsuit and UCB gets a judgment against you, your situation only gets worse. We can't emphasize this enough: If you want a fair outcome in court, don't delay. File an Answer! Time is of the essence. Don't wait to get help. Prepare a strong Answer responding to the UCB lawsuit against you.

Respond to a debt collection lawsuit against UCB Inc

When you get sued for a debt, you receive a Summons and Complaint—usually in the mail. The Summons notifies you of the lawsuit, and the Complaint lists all the specific claims against you.

The first step in winning the case in court is to respond with a written Answer.

You have up to 35 days to respond to a debt lawsuit, depending on where you live. If you don't respond in time, UCB will request a default judgment against you. If the court grants the default judgment, UCB will be able to garnish your wages and put liens on your property.

Use these six tips to draft and file your Answer before your state's deadline:

  1. The Answer isn't the place to tell your side of the story in detail. Instead of using an elaborate story to respond to the lawsuit, your Answer should focus on responding to the claims listed in the Complaint document. Keep it simple. You can admit, deny, or deny due to a lack of knowledge.
  2. Deny, deny, deny. Most attorneys recommend that you deny as many claims as possible, forcing UCB to do more work to prove their side of the case.
  3. Include affirmative defenses. These are any legal reasons that UCB should not win the case. A common affirmative defense used in debt lawsuits is the statute of limitations, which is the period that a debt collector has to sue someone for a debt. If the debt is past the statute of limitations, then the lawsuit is void.
  4. Use standard formatting or “style”. At the head of the Answer document, be sure to include a caption where you list the court information, party information, and case number.
  5. Include a certificate of service. It's important to serve your Answer to UCB. At the end of your Answer document, include a certificate of service when you verify the address you used to serve UCB the Answer.
  6. Sign it. Most courts reject any legal documents without signatures, which is why this last step is so crucial.

You can draft and file your Answer with SoloSuit in all 50 states.

Watch this video to learn more about these six tips:

Settle the debt with UCB Collections.

Settling your debt with UCB Collections may be the easy way to resolve the issue. It’s a simple process, outlined in the following steps.

Step 1: Review your finances

Take a thorough look at your finances to determine how much you can offer to settle the debt. Don’t forget to think outside the box. Do you have items you could sell or savings that you could utilize?

Step 2: Make an offer to settle

After reviewing your finances, the next step is to start settlement negotiations. You can do this by phone, email, or USPS. However, it’s always a good idea to follow up any conversation with a letter or email outlining what was discussed. Outline the amount you’re offering to settle the debt and the date you can make a lump sum payment. Though debts can be settled for any amount, it is a good idea to start negotiations at slightly lower than the maximum you can afford to pay. That leaves room for negotiations if they send a counteroffer.

Step 3: Document the agreement

Once you and UCB Collections have agreed on the settlement amount, make sure you receive a signed copy of the debt settlement agreement. Keep this for your records to prove that the debt has been satisfied.

Step 4: Make the payment on time

Send the payment in a timely manner. If UCB has filed suit against you, make sure you receive official notice that the lawsuit has been dropped or dismissed.

If you have a genuine, unpaid debt with UCB, Solo can help you settle it quickly and easily with SoloSettle. The platform lets you reach out to debt collectors like UCB with a ready-to-use template that you can personalize to UCB, making it easier to negotiate a deal and pay less than you originally owe.

You can handle all the communication through the app, saving you time and taking advantage of Solo's good relations with debt collection agencies. Once you agree on a settlement, Solo takes care of the paperwork. It’s a simple and convenient way to manage your debt, giving you a better chance of reaching a fair solution without added stress. Work on your settlement letter on SoloSettle today.

To learn more about how to settle debt with UCV Collection, check out this videos for attorney tips and tricks on negotiating debt and resolving it outside of court:

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