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What is National Credit Systems & Removal From Credit Report

Andrew Reyes
credit report final notice

Have you received debt collection calls or letters from National Credit Systems, or seen this name pop up on your credit report? Are you wondering what NCS is on your credit report? 

National Credit Systems is a debt collection agency. If bills become past due, creditors can sell the debt to agencies like NCS. These companies try to collect the money and report the late payments to the three credit bureaus, which affects your credit score. 

Learn more about how to beat National Credit Systems if you’ve been contacted by this collection company.

Table of Contents

Is National Credit Systems Legit or a Scam?

National Credit Systems and credit cards

NCS is not a scam; it is a legitimate credit collection agency. The company started in 1991 and has its headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. 

National Credit System primarily serves clients in the multifamily rental industry, which means landlords and property managers hire this firm to collect unpaid rent from former tenants. The company has accreditation from dozens of industry organizations including the American Collectors Association and the National Apartment Association.

If someone calls you on the phone and says they are from NCS, you should still make sure they aren’t trying to scam you. Ask them to verify the name, address, and phone number of the collections agency they represent.

Is National Credit Systems the Same as National Credit Services?

No, they are not the same. National Credit Services is a business-to-business collections agency founded in 1995 and located in Washington state. National Credit Systems is primarily a consumer debt collector.

Should I Negotiate to Settle With NCS?

You can ask NCS to accept a smaller amount to settle your debt. However, reaching a settlement does not necessarily remove the negative information from your credit report. Unless you successfully dispute the collection from NCS, it will remain on your account for seven years. 

If you negotiate, you can offer either a lump sum or a payment plan. For a lump sum, start by offering about 25% of your balance. Incrementally increase your offer until the creditor agrees to a settlement that works for your budget. You can use the same approach to request a lower monthly payment.

If you stopped paying a loan because you couldn’t afford $500 a month, you can ask the collection agency to accept $250 instead. 

What Can NCS Do to Collect Debt?

Federal laws protect you from certain types of contact by debt collectors. For example, they cannot contact you at work or during certain times of day if you ask them not to do so. You do not have to make this request in writing. Even if you don’t make a request, they can’t call you before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. 

Collection agencies can only come after you for debt for a certain number of years, called the statute of limitations, which varies by state law. 

Are Debt Collectors allowed to harass?

The law also prohibits debt collectors from threatening you, harassing you, and using obscene language during collections calls. They may not say you will be arrested or deported if you fail to pay, represent government agents or attorneys, or lie about the balance you owe.

Debt collectors can only talk to certain people about your debt, including your spouse if you are married or your parents if you are younger than 18. You can also give an attorney the right to talk to and negotiate with debt collectors on your behalf. 

You can also send National Credit Systems a cease or stop contact letter. After you send this request for the collections agency to end contact, they can only contact you if they file a lawsuit against you and to verify they have ceased communications. 

If a collections agency harasses you or otherwise breaks the law in an attempt to collect, you have legal recourse. In this case, you can file a complaint with the attorney general office in your state and with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

How to Remove National Credit Systems From Credit Report

If you receive a letter or credit report notice about debt from NCS, it should have an account number. You can visit the National Credit Systems website and enter this number along with your Social Security number or the total debt balance to access your account.

From there, you can make payments toward your debt or try to negotiate a settlement for less than the total amount.

If you decide to negotiate a settlement, you can ask the agency to request removal on your behalf, which can improve your credit. This is called a pay-for-delete agreement. Make sure to get the terms of any debt settlement in writing and read them carefully before signing. 

Can I Ask for Goodwill Deletion?

In rare cases, you may be able to get a hardship or goodwill deletion. Some collection agencies agree to waive credit bureau reporting if you lost your job or had another situation beyond your control. To qualify, you usually have to have a high credit score and good payment history before the lapse.

If you believe the provided information is inaccurate or fraudulent, you have 30 days to send NCS a debt dispute letter that includes:

  • Your identifying details (name, address, and Social Security number)
  • The name of the purported creditor
  • The amount in question
  • A statement requesting that the company refrain from reporting the debt to the credit bureaus until you reach a resolution

Upon receipt of this letter, the agency must respond within five days confirming documentation of the debt in question and telling you how to file a dispute. If they cannot do so, you can request that they remove the incorrect report. 

You can also file a dispute online with the three major credit bureaus, Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. Federal law requires the bureaus to investigate with the company that reported the disputed information. During this process, they may ask you for documents to support your dispute claims, such as receipts, invoices, or canceled checks.

Taking these steps can help protect your credit from the impact of a negative report from National Credit Systems. You can make sure your credit score stays healthy by checking your report every year. 

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