Summary. Sixteen documents. Templates 1 and 2 go out today, because bank fees compound in days.
Order of operations
Templates 1–3 today. Bank fees from repeated presentment frequently exceed the loan fees and accrue within days.
Templates 4–6 this week. They answer whether the loan is even enforceable — and in a meaningful share of cases it is not.
Template 8 is the one that actually solves it. Three phone calls.
Template 1 — ACH revocation to the lender
[Date] · Sent with proof of date; copy retained
RE: Loan/Account No. [_______] — REVOCATION OF ELECTRONIC FUND TRANSFER AUTHORIZATION
To: [Lender name and address]
I hereby revoke any and all authorization for [Lender], its agents, servicers, or assignees, to initiate electronic fund transfers from, or to present any check drawn on, my account ending [____] at [Bank], or any other account of mine.
Do not initiate any ACH debit, present any check, or attempt any other electronic transfer. Any further presentment is unauthorized.
I note that federal law prohibits conditioning an extension of credit on repayment by preauthorized electronic fund transfers.
Please direct all further communication regarding this account to me in writing at the address below.
[Name] · [Address] · [Phone] · [Date]
Template 2 — Stop payment to the bank
[Date]
RE: Account ending [____] — revocation of authorization and stop payment
To: [Bank], Customer Service / Disputes
I revoke the authorization for [Lender] to debit my account and I am placing a stop payment on any ACH debit, check, or other presentment initiated by [Lender], its agents, servicers, or assignees.
Please:
- Confirm the stop payment in writing, and advise how long it remains effective and how to renew it
- Advise whether the block can be placed on the originator rather than only a specific transaction amount
- Notify me if any presentment is attempted
Fee reversal request. Returned-item and NSF fees were assessed on the following dates as a result of repeated presentment by this lender:
Date Fee Presenting party $ $ Total: $ I request reversal of these fees. The lender presented [N] times within [N] days on the same obligation.
[Name] · [Account] · [Phone] · [Date]
Template 3 — Lawfulness worksheet
Two minutes, and in many states it produces a void loan.
IS THIS LOAN LAWFUL? — [Lender], [State]
Question Answer Where I checked Is the lender licensed in this state? Y / N State financial regulator licensee database License number and status Does this state cap the rate on loans of this size? Y / N — cap: ___% Regulator consumer page / statute What is my APR as disclosed? ___% The loan agreement's TILA box Does the APR exceed the cap? Y / N Are rollovers limited? Y / N — limit: ___ How many rollovers have I had? ___ Transaction history Is a cooling-off period required? Y / N — ___ days Did I repay and re-borrow within that period? Y / N — dates: ___ This is the common evasion Are simultaneous loans limited? Y / N Do I have loans from other lenders now? Y / N Is there a statewide database requirement? Y / N Is an extended payment plan required on request? Y / N — terms: ___ Am I active duty military or a dependent? Y / N If yes → 36% all-in cap; violation makes the agreement VOID Were the fees within the statutory schedule? Y / N Consequences if unlawful (check state law): loan void · interest forfeited · payments recoverable · statutory penalties · attorney's fees.
Template 4 — Transaction history request
RE: Account No. [_______] — request for complete transaction history
Please provide, in writing, for all transactions between me and [Lender]:
- Each loan — date made, principal advanced, fee charged, APR disclosed, due date
- Each rollover, renewal, extension, or refinance, with dates
- Each payment — date, amount, and how it was applied between principal and fees
- Each fee — origination, returned item, late, verification, database, and any other
- Each presentment of a check or ACH, including failed attempts, with dates
- My current balance and how it is composed
- Copies of each loan agreement and each disclosure
- Your state license number and licensing authority
- If this account has been sold or assigned: to whom, when, and the assignment documents
Please respond within fifteen days.
[Name] · [Account] · [Date]
Template 5 — Rollover audit
Fill this in from the transaction history. The pattern is the case.
| # | Loan date | Principal | Fee | Due date | Paid date | Amount paid | New loan same day? | Days between loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $ | $ | $ | Y / N | — | |||
| 2 | $ | $ | $ | Y / N | ||||
| 3 | $ | $ | $ | Y / N | ||||
| 4 | $ | $ | $ | Y / N |
Totals: loans/rollovers: ___ · fees paid: $______ · principal reduction: $______ · days in continuous debt: ___
Flag each of these:
- Rollovers exceeding the statutory limit — count them
- Repaid and re-borrowed within the cooling-off period — list the dates
- Simultaneous loans exceeding the limit
- Fees not on the statutory schedule
- Continuous indebtedness beyond any period the statute contemplates
The summary sentence for a complaint: "Between [date] and [date] I entered [N] transactions with this lender, paying $______ in fees on a principal of $______ that was never reduced. On [dates], the lender accepted repayment and made a new loan the same day, evading the [N]-day cooling-off period required by [statute]."
Template 6 — Extended payment plan demand
RE: Account No. [_______] — request for extended payment plan
I am requesting the extended payment plan available under [state statute / your license conditions]. Please send the agreement for signature.
I understand that under [state] law this plan must be provided at no additional fee, over [N] installments, upon request.
Please confirm in writing:
- That the plan is available and its terms
- That no further presentment of any check or ACH will be made
- That no additional fees or interest will accrue while the plan is in place
- That the account will not be referred to collections or reported adversely while I am current
If you contend no such plan is available, please state that in writing and identify the authority for that position.
[Name] · [Account] · [Date]
Template 7 — Complaint to the state regulator
CONSUMER COMPLAINT — [State] [Department of Financial Institutions / Consumer Credit Commission]
Complainant: [Name, address, phone, email] Licensee: [Lender, address, license number if known] Product: [payday / deferred presentment / title / high-cost installment]
Transaction summary (full history attached): [N] loans between [date] and [date] · total fees paid $______ · original principal $______ · current balance $______
Violations alleged:
[ ] Lender is not licensed in this state [ ] The fee or rate exceeds the statutory schedule — charged %, cap % [ ] Rollovers exceeded the statutory limit — [N] rollovers, limit is [N] [ ] Cooling-off period evaded — repayment and new loan the same day on [dates] [ ] Simultaneous loans in violation of [statute] [ ] The extended payment plan was requested on [date] and refused [ ] ACH authorization required as a condition of the loan [ ] Threats of criminal prosecution on [date] by [name] [ ] Repeated presentment on [dates] generating $ in bank fees [ ] Required disclosures were not provided [ ] Other: ____
Relief requested: investigation · refund of unlawful fees · a determination whether the loan is enforceable · [return of my vehicle] · appropriate action against the license.
Enclosures: loan agreements · complete transaction history · rollover audit · bank statements showing presentments and fees · correspondence.
[Signature] · [Date] Also filed with: [State Attorney General] · [CFPB]
Template 8 — Credit union call script
The three calls that actually solve this.
"Hi — I'm calling about two things. First, what do I need to do to become a member? And second, do you offer a payday alternative loan or a small-dollar loan program? I have a high-cost loan I'm trying to retire."
Then ask:
Question Credit Union A B C Membership requirement Can I join today? Small-dollar / PAL program? Loan amount range Rate (APR) Application fee Term Installments or lump sum? Credit check required? Minimum score? Will you lend specifically to pay off a payday/title loan? Will you pay the lender directly? Membership period required first? Direct deposit required? Documents needed Free financial counseling available? Also ask your own bank: "Do you have a small-dollar loan or advance product for existing customers?" It is rarely advertised and is frequently the cheapest option available.
A "no" from one is not a "no" from all. Call three.
Template 9 — Title loan redemption and notice demand
[Date] · URGENT — TIME SENSITIVE · Sent by [method] with proof of date
RE: Loan No. [] · Vehicle [year/make/model] · VIN [] · Repossessed [date, approximate time]
1. Personal property. The vehicle contained my personal property: [list — tools, child safety seat, documents, medication, other]. Please make it available for retrieval immediately and advise the time, place, and any conditions.
2. Redemption. I intend to redeem the vehicle. Please state in writing:
- The total amount required to redeem, itemized (principal, fees, interest, repossession and storage costs)
- The deadline by which redemption must occur
- The payment method and location
- Whether partial payment or a reinstatement is accepted
3. Notice of sale. Please provide the written notice of the time and place of any intended sale required by [state statute]. No sale should occur before the redemption period expires.
4. The repossession. The vehicle was taken from [location] at approximately [time] on [date]. [A closed gate was opened. / An enclosed area was entered. / A confrontation occurred with (person).] I contend this constituted a breach of the peace, which renders the repossession wrongful.
5. Accounting and surplus. In the event of a sale, please provide a full accounting of the proceeds and all costs, and remit the surplus. The vehicle's value substantially exceeds the debt: the loan balance is $______ and the vehicle's value is approximately $______ [source of valuation].
6. Condition. Please preserve the vehicle in its current condition and confirm where it is stored.
[Name] · [Contact] · [Date]
Template 10 — Repossession documentation worksheet
Complete the same day. Breach of the peace is proved by details that fade fast.
REPOSSESSION RECORD — [Date], [Time]
Location the vehicle was taken from: [ ]
- Public street [ ] Open driveway [ ] Behind a closed gate [ ] Inside a garage [ ] Fenced yard [ ] Other: ____
Was anything opened, moved, cut, or broken to reach the vehicle? [ ] Was anyone present? [Who, and what was said — quote it.] Was there a confrontation, a threat, or a demand? [ ] Did anyone object at the time? [Who, what they said, what the agent said back.] Was law enforcement present? [If so, agency and any report number.] Repossession company name, vehicle, plate: [ ] Any video — doorbell, security camera, neighbor? [Preserve it now.]
Personal property in the vehicle: [itemize, with approximate values]
Vehicle condition before: [photographs, mileage, known damage] Vehicle value: $______ [source] Loan balance: $______
Notices received: [ ] Pre-repossession right to cure — date [ ] · [ ] Post-repossession notice — date [ ] · [ ] Notice of sale — date [ ]
Witnesses: [names and contacts]
Template 11 — Military Lending Act letter
[Date]
RE: Loan No. [_______] — violation of 10 U.S.C. § 987
To: [Lender]
At the time this loan was made on [date], I was [an active duty member of the United States (branch) / a dependent of an active duty member]. I am therefore a covered borrower under the Military Lending Act.
The agreement violates the Act in the following respects:
[ ] The Military Annual Percentage Rate exceeds 36%. The rate charged is %, and the MAPR calculation includes the finance charge, [credit insurance premiums of $], [fees of $], and [add-on products of $___]. [ ] The agreement contains a mandatory arbitration clause, which is prohibited. [ ] The agreement requires an allotment for repayment, which is prohibited. [ ] The agreement takes a security interest in a vehicle title, which is prohibited for covered loans. [ ] The agreement contains a prepayment penalty, which is prohibited. [ ] The required oral and written disclosures were not provided.
A credit agreement that fails to comply with the Act is VOID FROM INCEPTION.
I demand: that the agreement be treated as void · that all amounts paid be refunded — $______ to date · that any lien on my vehicle title be released · that the account be removed from any consumer report · and written confirmation of each.
The Act provides for actual damages, statutory damages, punitive damages, and attorney's fees.
Please respond within fifteen days.
[Name] · [Contact] · [Date] cc: [Base legal assistance office] · [State regulator] · [CFPB]
Service members: call base legal assistance first. It is free and they know this statute.
Template 12 — Collection violation log
| Date | Time | Caller / number | Name given | What was said (quote) | Violation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "We'll have you arrested for check fraud" | Threat of criminal prosecution | ||||
| Third-party contact | |||||
| Repeated presentment | |||||
| Garnishment threat without judgment | |||||
| Contact after cease-communication | |||||
| Misrepresentation of amount or status |
Preserve: voicemails · texts · emails with headers · call logs · letters and envelopes.
Statutory damages plus attorney's fees make these claims economical. Consumer attorneys take them on contingency.
Template 13 — Skeleton answer to a collection suit
[COURT CAPTION] · ANSWER AND AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSES
RESPONSES. [Admit what is plainly true. Deny what is not. "Defendant lacks knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the truth of the allegation and therefore denies it" is a complete and proper answer for the amount, the assignment, and the account history.]
AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSES (waived if not pleaded)
- Lack of license. Plaintiff [or its predecessor] was not licensed to make consumer loans in [state], and the loan is [void / unenforceable] under [statute].
- Usury / rate cap. The rate charged exceeds the maximum permitted by [statute]; the interest is forfeited.
- Statutory violations. The transactions violated [state]'s limits on rollovers, the cooling-off period, and the number of simultaneous loans.
- Unlawful fees. The amount claimed includes fees not authorized by the statutory schedule.
- Military Lending Act. The agreement is void from inception under 10 U.S.C. § 987.
- Lack of standing. Plaintiff is not the original creditor and has not established a complete chain of assignment.
- Statute of limitations.
- Payment / accord and satisfaction.
- Failure to state a claim.
- Insufficient service of process.
WHEREFORE Defendant requests dismissal with prejudice and costs.
[Signature] · [Printed name] · [Address] · [Phone] · [Date] · Certificate of service
Then serve discovery: the complete transaction history · every loan agreement and disclosure · the assignment documents · the licensing records.
Template 14 — Credit report audit
| Item | Creditor / collector | Reported balance | Date of first delinquency | Should it still be reporting? | Issue | Disputed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | Y / N | ☐ |
Check every line for:
- Not my account
- Wrong balance
- Paid account showing a balance
- Discharged in bankruptcy but not marked
- Duplicate — reported by both the original creditor and a collector
- Date of first delinquency later than it should be — re-aging extends the damage and is correctable
- Closed account reported open
- Unauthorized hard inquiry
- Obsolete — past the reporting period
- Result of identity theft — use an identity theft report to block it
Dispute with each bureau separately. They do not share disputes. Dispute with the bureau, not only the furnisher.
Template 15 — Credit repair refund demand
[Date]
RE: Demand for refund — Credit Repair Organizations Act violations
To: [Company], [address]
I contracted with you on [date] for credit repair services and have paid $______ through [date].
Your conduct violates 15 U.S.C. § 1679 et seq.:
[ ] You charged and received payment before services were fully performed — § 1679b(b). I was billed $______ on [dates] in advance of any completed service. [ ] You did not provide the required separate written statement of consumer rights before the contract was signed — § 1679c. [ ] The contract did not contain the required terms — § 1679d. [ ] I was not given notice of the three-day right to cancel — § 1679e. [ ] You made untrue or misleading statements — specifically: [quote]. [ ] You advised me to make an untrue or misleading statement — specifically, [to obtain a new credit identifier / to dispute accurate information].
I demand a full refund of $______ within fifteen days.
The Act provides for actual damages or the amount paid, punitive damages, and attorney's fees, and any waiver of these rights is void.
[Name] · [Contact] · [Date] cc: [State Attorney General] · [FTC] · [CFPB]
Template 16 — APR calculator
Do this before signing anything, and do it on the loan you already have.
APR ≈ (Fee ÷ Principal) × (365 ÷ Days of term) × 100
Your loan Principal advanced $______ Total fee $______ Days until due ______ Fee ÷ Principal ______ 365 ÷ Days ______ APR ≈ ______% Worked example: $45 fee ÷ $300 principal = 0.15. 365 ÷ 14 days = 26.07. 0.15 × 26.07 = 3.91 → 391% APR.
Then the annual cost of carrying it:
Fee per period $______ Periods per year (26 if biweekly, 12 if monthly) ______ Annual cost if you never pay the principal $______ Worked example: $45 × 26 = $1,170 a year, on a $300 debt that never gets smaller.
Compare against: a credit union payday alternative loan · your bank's small-dollar product · a credit card cash advance at 25–30% · and the cost of asking the actual creditor for a payment plan, which is usually zero.
The short version
- Revoke the ACH today, to the lender and the bank, and ask for the NSF fees back.
- Check the license. Two minutes, and in many states it voids the loan.
- Get the transaction history — the rollover pattern is the case.
- Ask for the extended payment plan by name.
- Call three credit unions.
- On a title loan: personal property, redemption figure, pre-sale notice, surplus, and how the repossession happened.
- Military? The agreement may be void from inception. Call base legal assistance.
- Answer any lawsuit.
- No one may lawfully charge you in advance to fix your credit.
Related documents
- Payday Loans, Title Loans, and Credit Repair
- Getting Out of a Payday or Title Loan
- Small-Dollar Credit and Credit Repair Checklist
- Consumer Debt Defense Toolkit
- Identity Theft and Credit Report Toolkit
- Utility Dispute Toolkit
- Fraud Response Toolkit
Educational only, not legal advice. Adapt every template to your state. Small-dollar lending rules, title loan redemption rights, and rate caps vary enormously by state.
