How to Beat National Credit Care

Dena Standley | October 19, 2022

Legal Expert, Paralegal
Dena Standley, BA

Dena Standley is a seasoned paralegal with more than 20 years of experience in legal research and writing, having received a certification as a Legal Assistant/Paralegal from Southern Technical College.

Edited by Hannah Locklear

Editor at SoloSuit
Hannah Locklear, BA

Hannah Locklear is SoloSuit’s Marketing and Impact Manager. With an educational background in Linguistics, Spanish, and International Development from Brigham Young University, Hannah has also worked as a legal support specialist for several years.

Don't waste your time and money on National Credit Care when you can repair your credit by yourself!

Summary: Have you had a negative experience with National Credit Care? You're not alone. Here's SoloSuit's guide on how to repair your credit on your own.

National Credit Care is based in Colorado and promotes itself as a credit repair company focused on helping consumers improve their credit to qualify for a mortgage. Unlike most credit repair agencies, National Credit Care claims they do not use an automated dispute process. However, their self-proclaimed personal approach has still left many consumers unhappy with their services.

Most alarming, National Credit Care is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau (BBB). At this time, the BBB shows a current alert for this business. That alone should make consumers pause before they enter into a business relationship with National Credit Care. However, if you are already involved, there is a way out.

Why the BBB has issued an alert for National Credit Care

In June 2021, the BBB recognized a pattern of complaints from consumers regarding billing, collection activities, and customer service for National Credit Care. The emerging pattern showed that consumers alleged:

National Credit Care makes canceling services unusually difficult
Additional, non-disclosed fees when canceling the service
Utilization of customer retention strategies that were pushy or using scare tactics in an attempt to retain customers
The company is unresponsive to phone calls, emails, and other attempts at contact
Failure to deliver the promised results

In October of 2021, National Credit Care filed a response with the BBB. They declared that:

Its billing model complies with all state and federal laws, and its billing structure is clearly explained during the intake process
The contract under which National Credit Care operates states that if consumers do not see a minimum of 50% of errors changed within 6 months, National Credit Care will work on the file for up to ninety days at no further cost to the consumer.
Staffing issues due to the pandemic may have resulted in less than stellar customer service, including longer than average wait times.
The company categorically denies using aggressive retention tactics.

Despite the alert, National Credit Care has a 4.82/5 star average review. That said, when reading through the reviews, they are all either 1 or 5 stars. There is no middle ground. Clients, at least those leaving reviews on the BBB site, are either extremely pleased or very upset with the services offered by National Credit Care.

How to cancel service with National Credit Care

There are reputable credit repair services available. However, most credit repair services charge a substantial fee for their services. The good news is you can do the same thing a credit repair service can do. If you are struggling with finances, doing the work yourself to improve your credit score can save you money and help you avoid potential scams.

If you have an existing contract with National Credit Care, you should carefully read the Terms and Conditions. As an existing customer, you should have a client portal established, and from this portal, you should have the option to cancel your membership. However, to ensure you are not hit with any surprise cancellation fees, you can contact customer service at:

National Credit Care
1499 W 121^st Ave #300
Westminster, CO 80234

(866) 595-6313

If you cancel by phone or through the portal, it is a good idea to follow up in writing. As they are explained to you, write out the cancellation terms, and send that to National Credit Care, preferably by certified mail. Should you encounter any issues with canceling or find yourself hit with surprise fees not outlined in the contract, dispute the charges immediately.

Contact National Credit Care customer service in writing, and request a cancellation of their service and any refund owed. If you do not receive a timely response, file a report with the BBB and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC doesn't handle individual complaints but will investigate patterns of wrongdoing by a company.

Once you have terminated the contract, National Credit Care may continue to attempt to contact you as part of its aggressive customer retention practices. Let them know that you are aware of your rights under the law and ask that they cease all attempts to contact you. If this does not work, SoloSuit can help you craft a Cease and Desist Letter.

Credit repair DIY

While there are circumstances where a reputable credit repair agency can make it easier to resolve issues impacting your credit, there is plenty you can do on your own. The following steps can help improve your credit score but remember that there are no quick fixes. It takes time and patience to rebuild a healthy credit score.

1. Get a copy of all three credit reports.

All three credit bureaus, Experian, Transunion, and Equifax, are legally required to provide you with one free credit report per year. You can visit AnnualCreditReport.com to request and view your reports.

2. Identify errors on your report and file a dispute.

It is not unusual to find errors on your credit report, and some may be doing substantial harm to your credit score. If there is a debt that you do not recognize, dispute it immediately. The creditor is required to provide you with all relevant information about the debt. If you do not recognize the debt, you can send a Debt Validation Letter to the creditor listed on your report. The statute of limitations on most types of debt does not exceed 7 years. So, if you have a debt older than 7 years that still appears on your report, dispute that as well.

3. Keep current credit cards open.

Credit cards, when managed appropriately, are great tools for building (or rebuilding) credit. However, if credit cards have had a detrimental impact on your financial situation, it can be tempting to cut them up. Unfortunately, doing so can have a negative effect on your credit score. Total credit utilization is determined by the total amount of credit available vs. the total amount of credit used. When you close a credit card, you lose that card's credit limit when the total credit utilization is calculated. Pay down your cards, and never miss a payment if possible, but keep the cards active to help boost your score.

4. Negotiate with creditors.

You don't need a credit repair agency to negotiate with creditors. If you have collection activity in your credit file, reach out to the creditor to discuss settlement options. Often, debts are purchased by a third party for pennies on the dollar, meaning the current creditor has room to negotiate a substantial discount from the original balance. You can also ask for a goodwill deletion in your negotiations. Essentially, you agree to pay the negotiated amount, and in exchange, the creditor agrees to remove the negative information from your credit report.

You can also negotiate directly with credit card companies. Credit card companies know they are often the last priority when consumers encounter financial difficulties. After all, keeping the rent or mortgage paid and the utilities turned on will be a higher priority for most consumers. Credit cards are also unsecured debt, so they know they are unlikely to receive anything if the consumer chooses bankruptcy.

Contact your credit card company and ask to be transferred to the hardship or debt settlement department. You can request a lump-sum settlement, a hardship agreement that can often suspend harsh penalties and fees while you try to regain your financial footing or a workout agreement. SoloSuit offers information to help you rebuild your credit and, best of all, puts you in charge of your finances instead of a debt relief company. If you've been sued for a debt, you can use SoloSuit to respond and win in court.

What is SoloSuit?

SoloSuit makes it easy to respond to a debt collection lawsuit.

How it works: SoloSuit is a step-by-step web-app that asks you all the necessary questions to complete your answer. Upon completion, you can either print the completed forms and mail in the hard copies to the courts or you can pay SoloSuit to file it for you and to have an attorney review the document.

Respond with SoloSuit

"First time getting sued by a debt collector and I was searching all over YouTube and ran across SoloSuit, so I decided to buy their services with their attorney reviewed documentation which cost extra but it was well worth it! SoloSuit sent the documentation to the parties and to the court which saved me time from having to go to court and in a few weeks the case got dismissed!" – James

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