Collection Account on my credit report for item I didnt buy

i will try to dispute it with the credit report companies. I am having similar problem and I am going to try to dispute it with the credit report companies. As the collection agency or whoever the original company will not be able to provide u with any proof of shipment of books if they havn't sent those to you. If however they have sent those to you, they will have to prove that you wanted those. i.e. you ordered them. Nobody can just mail me whatever junk they have and then send me bill for the same...

send them a DV and C&D letters.183.00 from 18.00 riiiight.send the letters certified mail return receipt.also do as guest advises and dispute the entries on your CR.

Hi

I pulled my credit report this morning to check on it and I just happened to find a collection item called National Credit Solutions in Oklahoma in the amount of $146.00 which was reported in December 2008. I had no idea that this item was listed on my credit report until early this morning, which pulled my score down by over 50 something points. I saw the original creditor was BMG music. I am going to call the Collection agency in regards to this issue. This was listed under my Experian credit report only.

I heard of BMG music but I do not recall receiving any type of collection notice from the National Credit Solutions company. I have already disputed this on my credit report that I do not recognize this debt. I am also going to call the number listed on my credit report for this collection agency to send me a debt validation letter concerning this matter.

If I do owe this debt, then I am willing to pay it and in exchange for a deletion of this derogatory item on my credit report I would like to have this matter resolved by having the entry deleted from my credit report.

I just looked at my credit report and I have a charge of 204.00 from BMG, I have no clue what this is but after reading these postings I'm a little worried. If anyone can help me and possibly give me the number that would be appreciated.

I was in the same boat as many of you. Account from NCS appeared on my credit report in February 2009 listing a date of December 2008. My Experian credit score went into the tank when this happened.

Here's what I did:
1) Disputed the tradeline with Experian;
2) Sent a debt validation letter to NCS, certified mail, return receipt requested - there are many good templates for debt validation letters out there on the internet...shop around;
3) Sent the same letter to NCS via email;
4) Filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission;
5) Filed a complaint with the Pennsylvania (my home state) Attorney General's Office; and
6) Filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau of Oklahoma City (NCS's home area).

My multi-pronged approach worked, as the tradeline was removed from my Experian credit report 6 days after I took action.

DO NOT pay this account if you have reason to believe it is not valid. You'll only be cementing that bad mark on your credit record for years to come, unless you successfully initiate a "pay for delete" arrangement with NCS.

Rather, dispute it via one, several, or all of the methods described above...you will definitely want to do #2, at a minimum. This forces NCS to prove the debt is valid or remove it from your record.

In my case, I had not done business with BMG in many years, so it was imemdiately clear that whatever debt I may have with them was well past the 7 -year mark for reporting.

Good luck!

I too am having the same problem & I contacted experian, federal trade, attorney general, bbb & wrote ncs a letter to validate it & of course they sent me a bill well anyone can print out a bill & make up an account number and say hey you owe this. It does not state what cd's I purchased I have to figure out the next step. I know I did not purchase anything from them within the last eight years & I cannot remember anything before that. I dont get account open 12/08 & in collections in 3/09 I never received a bill before this. I suggest everyone complain as I did to all the companies I did & if there is enough comlplaints hopefully they will be investigate

Everyone that got collection letters from National Credit Solutions related to BMG debt that never existed, should file a complaint with the Central Oklahoma BBB.

Central Oklahoma BBB: oklahomacity.bbb.org


National Credit Solutions
PO Box 15779
Oklahoma City, OK 73155-0779

It's mind blogging that National Credit Solutions is involved in this scam, yet they still have an "A" rating with the BBB.

NCS is blatantly scamming honest citizens by damaging their credit history with bogus debt, and then trying to blackmail them by asking for money in exchange for removing derogatory entries from credit reports.

TAKE ACTION NOW and file a complaint with the Central Oklahoma BBB.

I filed a complaint with the BBB. Thanks for the link. NCS billed me for 168.78 for not fulfilling a contract that I never signed up for. They allege that I joined up and received DVDs 3 years ago.

Ok, so I received a major hit to my credit rating because NCS attempted to collect debt on behalf of BMG Music. I was irate because I have never ordered from BMG Music in my life. There are horror stories all over the web about this company and I honestly didn't believe that a call to the company would do any good. I called the NCS and spoke to a lady named Sue Austin who was actually very cordial. I started the conversation politely and asked her why BMG has sent me to collections. I did find out that BMG bought out Columbia House, and I was in fact a member of Columbia house in 2002 and bought all the required DVDs except for one. I'm in the military, and had since moved, forgetting I still owed to Columbia House one more DVD. I explained my situation to the Ms. Austin and she said if I paid my debt then NCS would remove the derogatory information, which would take about 30-45 days. I repeatedly asked her if NCS would in fact remove the derogatory information several times, and I was assured that it will be removed. So, like me, many of you more than likely had Columbia House and forgot to finish your contract. Don't be irate when you call NCS, as that will just give them a reason to not help you at all. The lady I spoke to again was Sue Austin at extension #107. I hope this helps and I will repost to let everyone know if the information was in fact removed.

National Credit Solutions / BMG is running a scam on bogus debt that is years old.

Here is what I suggest you do if you receive a letter from NCS, BMG music and or Capital Assistance Group if you do not owe the debt.

1) Call 1-800-384-0585 and tell them you want proof that you owe what they are claiming.
2) Send an email to President at NCS requesting proof.
3) Send a fax to 405-619-3631 requesting proof every day until they sent it.
4) Mail them a letter with a return receipt to:
National Credit Solutions
PO Box 15779
Oklahoma City, OK
73155

or

National Credit Solutions
3675 E I 240
Oklahoma City, OK
73135

Based on the many complaints I have read on Ripoffreport.com and this website including my own experience they probably will not provide the proof and hope you just pay it.

If they try to use strong arm tactics like they did with me then report them in a professional manor to the and the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals at ask them for a complaint form and explain in a professional manor what happened. It is easy to let your emotions blurt out what happened but, that will only muddy up the water just stick to the facts and don't be sarcastic.

Here is an outline of what they have done to me that I reported to the BBB and ACA.
-Requested proof of debt on these dates, mail, phone call, email, fax....no response. Spoke with Blake Taylor at extension 112 and was told proof was on the way. Never happened.
-Use of strong arm tactics (threatened to access my credit report on a daily basis which can lower your score, was told I had to prove the debt was not mine before they would do anything, hung up on me when asked repeatedly for a copy of proof that I owe what they are claiming, negative report on my credit file before I was given the opportunity to review the debt and pay off if it was mine).

If warranted contact a lawyer and or the Oklahoma Attorney General for help.

Finally, I also suggest you contact Chris Murphy at 617-965-2000 x 2530

I found Chris to be quite helpful in coming up with a solution to this problem.
Capital Assistance Group they apparently own BMG music and associated debt.

There are many resources if you do a little digging on the net. I hope this helps!

iwas sent to collection and now is in my credit report, how can i fix it

Dealing with National Credit Solutions (NCS)...so you noticed they reported something on your credit??

This means that the account has been overdue for a long time and the original creditor has transferred your uncollected debt to National Credit Solutions for collection.

You may or may not have been contacted by the original creditor for attempts to receive payment before they handed over the account to a 3rd party collections agency. I actually found out that once the account is handed down to a collections agency they have the right to report it to the Credit Bureau without notification (With the exceptions of 3 states only). NCS is a certified and licensed collections agency and uses credit reporting and skip tracing.

What does this mean if something???s on your credit? As time goes by interest and late fees build ( according to what your state allows) and your credit score is dragged down. A low credit score has many disadvantages including its affect on job eligibility, high interest rates, high insurance premiums, and difficulty acquiring loans or purchasing a house or car among other things.

NCS contacts the credit bureau ever Friday for updates. This is faster than most agencies (that often contact the credit bureau every month making any updates and clearing your credit a much slower and strenuous process.)

After NCS receives contact from you or contacts you personally, 5 days from this initial contact you will receive a letter stating your rights and the amount owed.

After receiving this first notification from NCS you have 30 days to send in a formal written request for validation. WRITTEN. After these 30 days NCS is not legally obligated to send you a validation but may or may not as a common courtesy.

What are your options?

It is very important to resolve any issues with collections agencies in order to avoid increasing fees and most importantly to maintain a good credit score. Some people might say don???t pay, reporting to your credit is just a bullying tactic. This is bad advice because the longer you wait to pay your debt or if you do not pay it at all it only hurts you, your credit score, and costs more in the long run. In extreme cases your credit card may be cancelled, you may be refused a loan or unable to make any serious purchases.

Full payment, payment plan, settlement

There is a difference in each of these options and how it affects your credit report. Also keep in mind that the quicker you resolve your debts with the agency the better -- as the account sits in the system it accumulates interest fees and becomes more and more expensive with time. Stay calm and make an informed decision, but do not blow your payment off. This only costs you more in the long run.

Full Payment
Sometimes time is an issue. Payment in full is the quickest solution and fully restores your credit.

Payment Plan
National Credit Solutions offers various payment plans over extended periods of time based on how much you are financially able to pay. This process takes longer to clear your credit but eventually does. They allow automatic withdrawals according to the payment plan you have established.

Hardship Settlement
On a case by case basis NCS may or may not qualify you for a hardship settlement after assessing your situation and financial standing. Different factors affect their ability to settle such as ownership of the account and small factors that dictate different types of accounts. If you settle your credit report will show that you settled for less than the legal amount owed. They can't guarantee to what degree your credit will improve however a paid or settled account is much better than an unpaid account.

Talking to them on the phone is much easier than mailing everything back and forth (that takes forever!)

They will encourage you to pay over the phone because it is "secure, fast, and reduces errors." I guess if you mail in the payment it takes longer to close out the account and at times this can interfere with payment in full ...(due to the amount the check was made out to verses the new total with the additional fees that accumulated in the few days that your payment was in the mail.)

After you pay how long will it take to get it off your credit report?

NCS reports to the Credit Bureau with any updates every Friday. This ensures quicker updates than many other agencies out there. But NCS can ONLY notify the Credit Bureau and after that it is their obligation to make any changes as they see fit. The time that it takes to see any immediate results or removal varies??

Procedures: Request verification, cease and desist, dispute

Requesting a validation
If you do not remember the alleged transaction that has incurred debt under your name or you do not trust the agencies allegations you can formally request a validation. It is important that you send in a WRITTEN request that very clearly states your demand for verification. If you request validation over the phone you may hear from collectors that the agency is not obligated by law to give you validation unless they receive a written request. It is also important to save any documents you receive including any validation documents. The agency will have all interactions carefully document and once they have sent you one validation they will not send you subsequent copies.

When the agency receives your written request they have 30 days to respond with a validation letter. Validation includes an itemized statement of your transaction, contact information of the original creditor, and your last known billing address.

Once you receive validation this means that the debt is in fact under your name and the agency that you are dealing with has legal authority to collect the debt.


Cease and Desist vs. Dispute

cease and desist is a WRITTEN request as well and does not make debt go away. Requesting cease and desist will simply terminate any written or verbal communication towards you from NCS employees. The debt will still show up on your credit report, the account is still open, and all that stuff.

If you are disputing the debt it is best to file your dispute through Transunion.com or experian.com, or mail it directly to NCS addressed to the right person.

IF YOU ARE FILING A DISPUTE...
1.) After a dispute is received by NCS they commence an investigation that can take up to 30 days. After the investigation it takes a while for them to get back to you.
2.) You must provide proof

If you feel that this debt is not yours and you have legitimate proof to clear the account from your name then file a dispute.

If you simply state that the debt is not yours and provide no proof your dispute really won't get you anywhere. If for example you are disputing the debt on the grounds of identity theft you must provide a police report and the identity theft affidavit for that relevant period of time when the debt occurred.

LOTS OF INFO. have any questions???

I told you all I would follow up if my problem was resolved. After realizing I did have Columbia House back in the early 2000s, I paid the collections amount, and as promised, NCS removed the delinquency from my credit report. Most of you are probably like me, forgot your had Columbia House, and now, are irate because you think someone stole your identity. However, if you think back, you actually bought some DVDs or CDs and now feel because it's been so long, you shouldn't pay. I wish it worked like that. Be responsible, pay your bills, and your credit score will return to what it was before.

it is true it is hard to remember that far back. I also had no memory of doing any business whatsoever with BMG but when I talked to someone for a long while at NCS she explained how everything worked and I was not suprised to find that you are obligated to pay unless you can provide proof that this transaction under your name with your information...is not yours.

She explained that BMG does make some mistakes and there are lots of possible scenarios.Some people don't even realize thier account is active and fees are building. BUTT for the most part these debts sold to NCS are simply people who ordered something and for whatever reason have not been able to pay.

I tried not to be angry when I called in and instead just asked tons of questions...they turned out to be a lot more helpful than I expected

Jeremy H, where did you send your payment too?
I now remember having an account back in 2004 and I'd like to pay it off.
By the way, thank you for all your information!!

I called and gave my CC information over the phone. Just remember and treat the person on the other end like a human being. As I talked to the representative who helped me, I told her I was impressed at how kind and helpful she was despite all the criticism the NCCC gets on these forums. She said that most people call and start swearing and yelling, which gets them nowhere. Glad I can help....my credit score is once again at 791...and not 674....WOOOHOOOO!

Please be aware thst National Credit Solutions leaves posts on this site to let people think they have founf a "solution" to their problems by just payig off the debt even though they didn't own it. I have noticed the EXACT same posts on other sites. R=Take some of this info with a grain of salt.

I am not surprised that NCS would be posting on this site in an attempt to raise their credibility. My memory is not shot. I know what I did and did not purchase. I have not purchased a music CD since I was in the military, and DVDs are better off rented. They're say this account was opened in 2004 and that payments were made, but they can not validate that the payments were made by me. It's a scam. The representatives are rude and speak to you as if you are a common criminal. Supervision is better, but still unable to resolve the issue or admit to the fraud their company engages in.

Ok...so what if I did have an account with BMG but it was back in the early to mid 90's, and NCS is telling me that I ordered and had a shipment sent to me in 2004. This is not accurate. I haven't purchased from BMG since the 90's, let alone a regular store. I haven't bought cd's ever since burning them came into existance. I know, that's not very good of me, however it is very true. I've already sent a dispute into my credit reporting agency...I guess I now have to send one into Experian (the only creditor showing this false report). I have called NCS and they told me they will send one of those validation letter things to me on Monday. Great! However, they told me that as long as they can verify my address where I had purchased these (cd's??? I'm guessing) that this will be a valide debt. That doesn't really make sense to me, especially because I wasn't even living at the address they provided to me on the date I supposedly ordered these cd's. I had already moved from that address to another. They then told me that the mail would not have forwarded, which is why I was never sent a statement. I asked them to please send me proof that I have purchased and what I have purchased. They told me that all they can send to me was a letter stating that I had purchased, when and to what address it was shipped. But they cannot tell me WHAT I ordered. Please, any info on how I can get this cleared off of my report is sooooo greatly appreciated. What is the next step I should take, as I know for an absolute fact, I would have Never ordered from them in 2004 and haven't done so since the early to mid 90's. Thank you!!

Received a hard copy of my TU CR today. Have never heard of NCS before today, and have never ordered from or purchased anything from "Literary Guild Select". No dunning letter, no prior communication, no notice of right to dispute. Ah, naughty, naughty. Am sending one DV certified rr requested, then will wait 30 days before filing suit in small claims. Ya know, if debt collectors would just abide by the law, it would not give the collections industry such a bad name. Oh well, we'll see if they show with validation of the debt in front of the judge.