What to Do If You're Sued by Retailers National Bank

George Simons | January 25, 2025

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Patrick Austin
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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.

George Simons
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Edited by Hannah Locklear

Hannah Locklear
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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: Are you being sued by Retailers National Bank for debt on a Target credit card? If so, Solo is here to help. Learn how to effectively respond and the steps you can take to resolve your debt collection matter.

If you have been contacted by Retailers National Bank, which is formally known as Target National Bank, for an alleged debt on a Target credit card, do not fret. You have certain legal rights and protections under federal law. You also have options available that would enable you to achieve a resolution to the debt collection matter, such as negotiating a debt settlement.

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What is Retailers National Bank?

If you were served with a debt collection lawsuit by a representative from Retailers National Bank, you may be asking yourself, “What exactly is Retailers National Bank?” Well, Retailers National Bank is a financial institution established in 1994.

The bank subsequently changed its name to Target National Bank in 2004. The name change was primarily due to the bank's relationship with the national shopping chain, Target. Retailers National Bank was the primary issuer and servicer of Target's “Red Card” and Target's Visa credit card.

However, it is worth noting that Target National Bank was acquired by TD Bank USA in 2013. As a result, the debt collection lawsuit may have “TD Bank USA” listed as the plaintiff, even if the alleged debt was related to an account opened with Retailers National Bank / Target National Bank.

Check out Retailers National Bank reviews

Interested in learning what other people have said about their experience engaging with Retailers National Bank on a debt collection matter? If so, check out these online reviews:

It’s reasonable to say that the online reviews of Retailers National Bank are not all five stars. This is unsurprising since everyone’s experience is different. Nevertheless, the mixed reviews should not deter you from proactively engaging with the debt collector. Ignoring their outreach does nothing to reach a resolution. Instead, establish a line of communication to discuss your option, such as a negotiated debt settlement.

You have legal rights when dealing with debt collectors

You have certain rights and protections afforded under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA). The FDCPA is a federal statute providing legal protections to consumers by limiting what debt collectors and debt collection agencies can do when attempting to pursue a delinquent debt. certain types of debt. Here is an overview of some of the key consumer protections established under the FDCPA:

  • Debt collectors are prohibited from contacting you before 8:00 a.m. or after 9 p.m.
  • Debt collectors are prohibited from contacting you at your place of work.
  • Debt collectors are prohibited from harassing you or anyone affiliated with you (e.g., friends, family, work colleagues, etc.). The prohibition on harassment extends to any form of communication, including phone calls, letters, social media outreach, etc.
  • If a debt collection agency is advised that you are represented by an attorney, the debt collector generally must stop contacting you and send all communications to your legal counsel.

Sued for debt? Respond to the debt collection lawsuit quickly

If you were sued by Retailers National Bank, you may be feeling overwhelmed at the thought of going to court. This is understandable, but it is important not to throw your hands up in despair. If you are proactive and take some simple steps to respond to the lawsuit, there is a good chance you could wind up negotiating an out-of-court settlement or prevailing in court against the bank.

If you get served with a Summons and Complaint, it is critically important to not only respond to the legal action but to file your Answer with the court promptly.

You may be surprised to learn that simply responding to the Complaint will set you apart from the majority of people sued by banks and debt collection agencies. This is because one of the most common mistakes made by consumers is failing to respond to the Summons and Complaint. Whether you owe the debt or believe you are being sued by mistake, filing an Answer allows you to highlight some of the major deficiencies in the bank's lawsuit.

If you don’t respond to the Complaint, the court will grant a default judgment against you

One of the main reasons you need to timely file an Answer to the Complaint is because failing to do so could enable Retailers National Bank to obtain a default judgment against you. If the Court enters a default judgment against you, the situation will only get worse. Why? Because a default judgment means that Retailers National Bank will be empowered to take the following actions:

  • Garnish your wages;
  • Take money from your bank account;
  • Seize your personal property; and
  • Collect attorney's fees and court costs.

Make Retailers National Bank prove they filed the lawsuit within the statute of limitations

Many banks and debt collection agencies assume the majority of consumers will not respond to the collections lawsuit. As a result, many debt collectors operate a volume practice where they file hundreds, or even thousands, of debt collection lawsuits based on the assumption they will secure a default judgment against consumers.

Given the significant number of lawsuits that are filed, there are many instances when the debt collection agency or bank neglects to take the time to confirm whether they can sue you for the debt. Bear in mind that if the applicable statute of limitations expired, the debt collector is generally barred from suing you on the debt. In most states, a debt collector only has a finite amount of time to sue you for an alleged delinquent debt.

If it turns out that the statute of limitations expired, you can raise it as an affirmative defense that could enable you to file a motion to dismiss the lawsuit entirely.

Use Solo to respond to debt collectors and win in court.

Tips on how to negotiate a debt settlement with Retailers National Bank

If you acknowledge that you owe the debt at issue with Retailers National Bank, then a pathway to achieve a resolution could be in the form of a negotiated debt settlement. For context, a debt settlement is a formal agreement between a creditor / debt collector and a borrower. The contours of a settlement typically involves you making a one-time, lump sum payment toward the overall balance with the remaining balance being forgiven. Many debt collectors are open to such a proposal since it allows them to collect on the delinquent account (which is better than getting nothing).

Here are some steps you can take to effectively negotiate a debt settlement with Retailers National Bank:

  1. If Retailers National Bank already filed a debt collection lawsuit against you, make sure to respond in a timely manner via an Answer to the lawsuit.
  2. Once you’ve responded to the lawsuit, take some time to assess what you can pay towards the amount owed. For example, if you owe $5,000 and could reasonably pay $3,000 toward the balance without negatively impacting your ability to pay other living expenses, then that amount can be your guidepost for settlement talks.
  3. Once you’ve figured out how much you are able to pay toward the debt, reach out to Retailers National Bank to establish a line of communication.
  4. You can kick off settlement talks by sending Retailers National Bank an opening offer via a debt settlement letter. Your opening settlement offer should be lower than the amount you calculated in Step 2. Why? Because this provides you some room to negotiate upward if the debt collector declines your initial offer.
  5. Be prepared to go back and forth with Retailers National Bank on a proposed settlement amount.
  6. If you have success reaching a settlement agreement, make sure to draft a debt settlement agreement memorializing the terms. Both you and the debt collector need to sign the agreement.
  7. Be sure to pay the agreed amount in time.

Gain additional insight into how to settle your debt with Retailers National Bank by watching this informative video:

What to do when you’re sued by Retailers National Bank

Here is what you need to do if you are being hounded by a debt collector, or received a debt collection lawsuit filed by Retailers National Bank:

  • If you do not recognize or have no idea why you are being pursued for the outstanding debt, be sure to file a formal dispute with the three major credit bureaus (i.e. Transunion, Equifax, and Experian).
  • Take note of any phone calls received from the debt collector before 8:00 A.M. or after 9:00 P.M.
  • Make sure to file your Answer to the Summons and Complaint promptly.
  • In your Answer, make sure to raise affirmative defenses like the statute of limitations and demand that the debt collection company provide proof of the specific amount owed.
  • Filing an Answer is just the beginning. Attend future hearings, respond to other documents filed in the case, and contact the bank to negotiate and settle the debt outside of court to save money on court costs, legal fees, and interest.

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