Patrick Austin is a licensed attorney with a background in data privacy and information security law. Patrick received his law degree at George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School, where he served as the Editor-in-Chief for the National Security Law Journal.
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.
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:
Summary: Receiving calls and letters from US Bank Collections can feel overwhelming, but you have options.
Validate
the debt, keep communication in writing, and negotiate a settlement. Use Solo to streamline the
process.
Receiving calls and correspondence from US Bank Collections can be intimidating, considering they are the
fifth-largest banking institution in America.
If you are feeling anxious and frustrated about receiving this outreach from US Bank Collection, Solo is here to
help. We offer tips and advice on how to respond effectively to US Bank Collections and what steps you can take to
efficiently resolve your debt issue. For example, you could engage with US Bank Collections to try and negotiate a
debt settlement.
Settle debt with US Bank Collections
You can negotiate debt settlement at any stage of the collections process. SoloSettle makes it easy.
U.S. Bank is a multinational financial services firm based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is a large and
wide-reaching financial institution. For example, it is the 7th-largest bank in the United States.
US Bank is Better Business Bureau (BBB) accredited with an A+ rating.
Most people do not know their rights when it comes to dealing with debt collectors, nor do they understand the
process that goes into debt collection. Knowing your rights when a debt collector calls can help you prepare to have
a productive conversation and settle your debt for good.
Exercise your consumer rights
The
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act provides a limitation on what US Bank debt collectors can do when they
contact you. For example, they cannot lie to you or pretend to be an attorney, threaten you with arrest, call you
before 8 am or after 9 pm, or discuss your debt with your family members, friends or coworkers.
Keep all communications with US Bank collections in writing
Sometimes US Bank debt collectors use words and phrases that are illegal, give you incomplete information, or avoid
going through the entire legal process of debt validation. Letting them know you want to do everything in writing
will prompt them to follow FDCPA guidelines. Request them to send all information by email or write everything they
say while on a call with them.
Request a debt validation
Debt collectors dislike receiving a debt validation request because they have to prove the debt is valid with proper
documentation. You can request a debt validation by sending a debt validation letter to the US
Bank collection department. It will help you confirm your debt and give you time to come up with a game plan.
The debt validation notice US Bank Collections send should also include your right to dispute the debt within 30
days after receiving the document and a statement permitting you to request more information if the validation
notice is not clear.
Most collection agencies and creditors would rather move on than validate a debt. Debt validation takes time and
resources that might even outweigh the debt you owe, so sending a debt validation letter is a smart move to get
collectors off your back. If US Bank hasn't kept all the documentation proving you owe a debt, they won't have a
case at all.
To learn more about how to make a debt validation letter, check out this video:
Request a credit report and history
Consumers have a right to receive one free copy of their credit report yearly from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion
credit bureaus. Cross-check that US Bank Collections has not added inaccurate debt figures to your credit report. If
you find errors, you can dispute the debt and request the credit bureaus to remove or correct the mistakes.
According to The Fair Crediting Report
Act, credit bureaus should only report accurate information. If the US Bank Collections cannot verify the
figures, they must remove the debt from your report.
Negotiating US Bank to settle your debt
If you know the debt is yours and will need to be repaid, then you can take proactive steps to try and negotiate a
debt settlement. US Bank may be amenable to a settlement for a lesser amount than what is actually owed. In
addition, US Bank may be amenable to not reporting your account to credit bureaus once you pay the settlement. The
debt settlement process can be as simple as these four steps:
If US Bank filed a debt collection lawsuit against you, then file a response via a written Answer and file it
with the court before the deadline.
Determine how much you can put toward the balance of the debt without adversely impacting your ability to pay
other necessary living expenses (e.g., rent/mortgage, food, gas, utilities, etc.). Taking the time to do this
calculation can help you establish certain parameters for your settlement discussions with US Bank.
Send your settlement offer to US Bank. It is recommended your opening offer be less than the amount you
calculated in Step 2 above.
Be ready to engage in a back-and-forth negotiations process.
If you can reach an agreement, then get the debt settlement terms in writing.
To learn more about debt settlement negotiation, check out this video explaining how you can negotiate a debt
settlement on your own:
SoloSettle makes it easy to start the debt settlement negotiation
process. The SoloSettle settlement portal makes it easier to negotiate with collectors online without having
to play phone tag, wait on hold, or speak directly with a debt collector.
What to do if US Bank Collections takes you to court
US Bank Collections have a right to take you to court if you ignore their attempts to collect a debt. Consumers are
also sued because they responded to US Bank Collections without verifying the debt allegations, giving US Bank
Collections the upper hand to proceed to court. You have the law and consumer rights on your side, so here's how you
can confidently face US Bank Collections in court:
Stay calm: Your first instinct may be to panic and make regrettable decisions such as signing a big check.
Calming down will help you develop a well-thought response. US Bank Collections will make everything sound
urgent and warn you of detrimental consequences if you do not pay the amount they quoted in the letter.
Represent yourself: Finding an attorney to represent you is expensive and time-consuming. You can represent
yourself with SoloSuit's help. The first step to winning in court is to file a written response to the
Complaint. SoloSuit's Answer document has proven effective in responding to and winning debt lawsuits.
Request documentation: For US Bank Collections to legally collect a debt, they must produce documentation that
shows you agreed to pay the debt in question, the debt belongs to them, and the debt amount is accurate and
still within the statute of limitation. Send a Debt
Validation Letter requesting this information to US Bank Collections and the court.
Show up for court: You have to physically appear in court on the specified date in the lawsuit letter. You
automatically lose with a default judgment if you fail to show up. This judgment means that you have to pay the
debt amount US Bank Collections quoted, and it gives them the legal right to garnish your wages or seize your
property
Know what to say: You have to phrase words to ensure you do not admit to owning the debt. The whole purpose of
the case is to either get you to admit you owe the debt or US Bank Collections to prove that you owe them money.
US Bank Collections are likely to win if you admit to owing the debt.
Whether US Bank Collections call you multiple times, send you countless emails, or take you to court, the best
defense is to arm yourself with knowledge of your rights and debt collection laws. SoloSuit's debt lawsuit Answer templates can help you stop debt collectors in their tracks or beat
them in court. To learn more about responding a debt lawsuit, check out this video:
How to Answer a Summons for debt collection in all 50 states
Some creditors, banks, and lenders have an internal collections department. If they come after you for a debt, Solosuit can still help you respond and resolve the debt. Here’s a list of guides on how to resolve debt with different creditors.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
Don’t have time to go to your local courthouse to check the status of your case? We’ve created a guide on how to check the status of your case in every state, complete with online search tools and court directories.
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 all 50 states.
Debt settlement is one of the most effective ways to resolve a debt and save money. We’ve created a guide on how to settle your debt in all 50 states. Find out how to settle in your state with a simple click and explore other debt settlement resources below.
Not sure how to negotiate a debt settlement with a debt collector? We are creating guides to help you know how to start the settlement conversation and increase your chances of coming to an agreement with every debt collector.
We give a factual review of the following debt consolidation, debt settlement, and loan organizations and companies to help you make an informed decision before you take on a debt.
You can represent yourself in court. Save yourself the time and cost of finding an attorney, and use the following resources to understand legal definitions better and how they may apply to your case.