Consumer complaint received 2023-10-04
Company: National Credit Systems,Inc.
State: NY
Product: Debt collection
Sub-product: I do not know
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed
Sub-issue: Debt is not yours

Complaint:
Timeline XX/XX/XXXX Visit XXXX XXXX for a tour. 
The agent XXXX told us there is no fee for today if we want to apply. 
XXXX showed us a model apartment and asked for my ID in order to allow us to tour. 
I did not like the model, but she said there are others, so I just need to agree to a credit check. I complied. 
After the tour I left without any agreement or request for payment for anything. 
XX/XX/XXXX I received an e-mail with a lease attached. 
In the middle of XXXX The office called my friend I was there with and asked if I was still interested. I called back and told her I am not interested. She said no problem. 
XX/XX/XXXX I received an e-mail asking me to pay {$310.00} for fees I owe. I called again but this time XXXX hang up on me after telling me I owe them an application fee. I asked for a written proof that I signed anything which she never provided. I sent in my friend to pick up any proof. They printed out my credit application and highlighted a sentence that does not apply to me. I never signed any document or lease. 
I was told the credit application was free of charge by XXXX. 
XXXX XXXX XXXX and XX/XX/XXXXXXXX  I received numerous e-mails threatening me with collections. 
They stopped answering my calls so I asked a friend to make a call from his office to talk to them. He spoke to XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX who abruptly and rudely also hang up on him. 
XX/XX/XXXX I sent a registered mail to them letting them know I do not owe any money. I sent regular and certified mail. The regular mail never came back undelivered, however the certified mail was never collected and returned to me. 
The letter my friend got from the office states the application fee is required at time of leasing. I never entered into a lease. 
XX/XX/XXXX received letter from NCS XXXX Replied to NCS in writing registered mail, told them I do not owe any monies. 
XX/XX/XXXX Received second collection attempt letter. Letter stated I never replied to their demand and my credit is at risk. 
XX/XX/XXXX Called and left a message to make sure they are aware that I replied. 
XX/XX/XXXXXXXX XXXX  XXXX called and tried to explain that they reduced the debt to {$240.00} and just to pay it. 
He sent his supporting document he received from his client. I asked for written proof I owe anything with my signature on it. He sent the lease document I already receive back in XXXX, with no signatures. He also sent a bill showing the {$310.00} balance, which I never agreed to pay. 
I am here by requesting a valid verification of this debt. Not a bill or a lease form that was never executed. 


This company is trying to extort money from me. They sent an invalid claim to a debt collector and refuse to withdraw. The collection agency is National Credit Systems and they are very unprofessional, stating I owe money, because their client said so and provided a bill that is not valid. This case looks very complicated, I would like to speak to someone to explain, but also can write a letter to the person reviewing this complaint. I need to stop them from this kind of practice. They are " only '' looking for {$310.00}, but I do not owe them anything. Very frustrating that they can refer anyone without any proof or signature to a collection agency and try to extort money. Please help me get this resolved, I do not have money to pay them or an attorney to hire. There are a lot of bad reviews about this entity, unfortunately I did not know this before contacting them. 
I found a few other people already complaining online about being ripped off. 
The amount of this scam is fairly small, so I believe most people just pay and not able or just have no time to actually report it. 
This company is extorting money from people and if you do not pay they send you to collections, which scares most people into paying. 

Please give me a call so I can explain my situation and hopefully you can make them stop, by exposing their scam. 
Today XX/XX/XXXX they reported illegally to all my credit bureaus, even after me sending written correspondence. 
Also I found after a simple XXXX search there are several complaint online about this practice with this company. They are extorting money from everyone. Because of the small amount people are mostly scared into paying and let it go. They need to be investigated and shut down. 
I must pay today, so they will remove the derogatory mark from my credit report. I want my money back and these crooks prosecuted!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation