Consumer complaint received 2019-02-22
Product: Debt collection — Other debt
Issue: Attempts to collect debt not owed — Debt was paid
Company: National Credit Systems,Inc. (FL)

On XX/XX/XXXX my wife and I paid off our debt to National Credit Systems - Representative XXXX XXXX on behalf of XXXX XXXX XXXX in the amount of {$630.00} as we were told this was the lowest amount we could pay to close the debt out on our credit ( {$780.00} was the full amount of the debt ). The letter saying the debt was closed is attached dated XX/XX/XXXX as we were told would be. 

My wife and I were currently in the process of disputing this debt because we should not have had to pay it anyway as the lease agreement between XXXX XXXX XXXX and us was cancelled because of an unsafe living environment they provided my family and I because of a maintenance request that was NEVER completed. 

After calling ( I believe around XX/XX/XXXX - they have a recording - my phone log does not go back that far ) to find out what happened to the files and letter I sent into National Credit Systems, my files and letter had somehow gotten lost in the mail or misplaced by National Credit systems as they said they never received them. I was at the end of a current lease ( ending on XX/XX/XXXX ) and HAD to move me and my family to another apartment complex and in order to get approved the debt HAD to be paid. 

As mentioned above we paid the debt off on XX/XX/XXXX in the amount of {$630.00} ( as agreed to by my wife, myself, and National Credit Systems - Representative XXXX XXXX ). We received a letter in the mail a few days later dated XX/XX/XXXX ( the day we paid it off ) that we could have paid the debt off for XXXX % off. My wife immediately called National Credit Systems and talked with XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX ( as this is who the letter was signed by ) to request a refund as we asked her what the least amount that we could pay to pay this debt off was on XX/XX/XXXX and it should have been XXXX % off ( the letter we received that was dated the same day we paid it off XX/XX/XXXX ) and not {$630.00}. She did tell my wife that she had no control over sending those letters out but her name was on the letter and who it was signed by. She requested we speak to XXXX XXXX ( her manager )  who my wife and I left messages for but never received a call back from, but did receive an email with a letter in it from XXXX XXXX on XX/XX/XXXX saying we still had a balance of {$150.00} ( which does not make any sense but is attached ). The next day my wife called back and talk to XXXX XXXX again and she told my wife she had taken care of it and that we would receive the refund within XXXX buisness hours. We DID receive the refund within that time frame. 

Now on XX/XX/XXXX my wife received a callback from XXXX XXXX and she said that, because of HUMAN ERROR, they sent us to much in the refund and that we owed {$50.00} in order to close the account out. My wife told her that we should not be required to pay the {$50.00} back to them because of THEIR error. 

I called XXXX XXXX back after my wife told me about this around XXXX AM on XX/XX/2019 and the conversation went as so ( I am paraphrasing in some areas but these are recorded on their end - there was frustration in my voice ) : XXXX XXXX : Asked for my account number XXXX XXXX : Gave her my social XXXX XXXX : Says " Hi XXXX XXXX, I assume you have talked to your wife? '' XXXX XXXX : " Yes I have and I am not paying the {$50.00} back because of human error. '' XXXX XXXX : " That's fine XXXX XXXX you don't have to pay it back and the account will continue to stay opened. '' XXXX XXXX : " Ok well I need to speak to a manager. '' XXXX XXXX : " Ok XXXX XXXX, I will be happy to get you over to XXXX XXXX XXXX .. '' XXXX XXXX : ( interrupted ) " I need to talk to him now and don't need to leave a voicemail. '' ( as stated above he never returns phone calls and I had already tried dialing his extension twice and got voicemail ) XXXX XXXX : ( interrupted as I was trying to explain the above ) " Ok XXXX XXXX, well you have a good day. '' ( hung up the phone on me ) This has already been closed on my wife and I credit but now because of their human error we are going to have this back on our debt. We do not feel because of their human error that we need to pay this {$50.00} back and we were already NOT going to pay the debt back and were in the process of disputing but we HAD too in order to get into our new apartment. 

We do not feel that National Credit Systems will work this out with us and confess to their mistake and take the hit so this is our only option to report them. 

I understand completely that this company deals with people everyday making excuses not to pay their debts back, but there is still no excuse for the POOR customer service and the rudeness my wife and I have received from National Credit Systems - specifically Representative XXXX XXXX at extension XXXX.