Is First National Collection Bureau Hurting Your Credit?

If First National Collection Bureau (FNCB) has appeared on your credit report or is calling you, the debt is likely old. FNCB specializes in purchasing aged, charged-off consumer accounts that original creditors have written off as uncollectable. They buy these portfolios at a steep discount and pursue collection on accounts other agencies have already abandoned.

FNCB also states in some BBB responses that they do not credit report directly. If FNCB’s name appears on your credit report, another entity may actually be the furnisher. Identifying who is reporting the account is the first step before disputing or paying anything.

This guide covers who FNCB is, what the 2019 CFPB action found, and how to respond.

Who Is First National Collection Bureau?

First National Collection Bureau, Inc. (FNCB) is a debt buyer and collection agency founded in 1983 and incorporated in 1992, headquartered in Reno, Nevada, with a secondary address in Sparks, Nevada.

The company is BBB-accredited and has been named in over 420 federal lawsuits, accumulated 363 BBB complaints in the past three years, and 155 CFPB complaints since 2015.

The 2019 CFPB Action

In 2019, the CFPB took action against FNCB for two specific violations. First, FNCB failed to maintain reasonable written policies and procedures for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of information it furnished to credit reporting agencies. Second, FNCB failed to conduct reasonable investigations of consumer disputes, specifically regarding identity theft claims.

FNCB was verifying disputed accounts without substantively investigating whether the disputes had merit. If FNCB is reporting an account you have disputed as identity theft and they continue to verify it as accurate, the 2019 action is directly relevant. File a complaint at consumerfinance.gov referencing the 2019 CFPB action against FNCB.

FNCB May Not Be the Credit Bureau Reporter

Multiple documented BBB responses from FNCB itself state that the company does not credit report directly in some cases. If FNCB appears on your credit report, confirm which entity is actually listed as the furnisher of the negative tradeline.

It may be a debt buyer who placed the account with FNCB for collection, while that buyer is the one actually reporting to the bureaus. Disputes and validation requests may need to go to both FNCB and the actual furnisher.

The Same-Name Wrong-Person Pattern

The dominant documented complaint against FNCB involves contacting consumers whose name matches the debtor’s name but whose other identifying information does not. A documented BBB complaint describes a consumer whose name matches someone in FNCB’s files but whose birthdate does not. FNCB acknowledged the error but the consumer remained concerned the issue would recur each time a new file arrived.

If FNCB is contacting you about a debt you do not recognize, do not provide any personal information over the phone. Ask FNCB to confirm the last four digits of the Social Security number, birthdate, and address they have on file before confirming or denying whether you are the correct person. Any mismatch is grounds to end the call and send a written dispute.

Collecting on Court-Adjudicated Debts

A documented BBB complaint describes FNCB calling a consumer who already had a court-ordered payment arrangement in place for the same debt. If you have a court-ordered payment plan on a debt FNCB is pursuing, provide FNCB with the case number, the court, and the name of the judge. A debt subject to an existing court order cannot be simultaneously collected outside that order by a third-party agency.

What FNCB Cannot Do Under Federal Law

The FDCPA and the 2019 CFPB action apply to First National Collection Bureau. Under these laws, they cannot:

• Fail to conduct reasonable identity theft investigations: The centerpiece of the 2019 CFPB action.
• Continue pursuing same-name wrong-person contacts after identifying the error: A documented BBB complaint.
• Collect on debts subject to existing court-ordered payment arrangements: A documented complaint.
• Impersonate government officials or attorneys: Documented in a consumer complaint.
• Collect past the statute of limitations without disclosure: A documented complaint pattern.
• Call outside permitted hours: Contact is only allowed between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. in your time zone.

File complaints at consumerfinance.gov and with the Nevada Attorney General’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.

Verify the Debt Before Engaging

Send a written debt validation request by certified mail within 30 days of first contact. Ask for the original creditor, the original date of delinquency, the complete chain of ownership from the original creditor to FNCB, and confirmation of who is reporting the account to credit bureaus. The original delinquency date is especially critical given FNCB’s aged debt specialty.

Nevada has a 6-year statute of limitations on most consumer debts. If you no longer live in Nevada, the relevant state is typically where you currently reside. Check the delinquency date against your state’s limit before paying anything.

How to Check Your Credit Report for FNCB Errors

Pull your credit reports from all three bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com. Is FNCB listed as the furnisher or is a different entity reporting the tradeline? Is the original creditor accurately identified? Is the original delinquency date correct? Any inaccuracy, including wrong-person information, is grounds for a dispute with each credit bureau.

Your Options for Resolving an FNCB Account

Once you have verified the debt and statute of limitations status, consider your options:

• Verify the statute of limitations first: FNCB’s aged debt specialty makes this the most critical step before any engagement.
• Identify the actual credit reporter: Confirm whether FNCB or another entity is furnishing the tradeline before disputing.
• Negotiate a settlement: A documented positive BBB review describes FNCB offering sizeable discounts. Get any agreement in writing before paying.
• Dispute identity errors immediately: Any mismatch in identifying information should trigger an immediate written dispute.

How to Contact First National Collection Bureau

Handle all communication in writing:

• Address: First National Collection Bureau, Inc., 50 W Liberty St, Suite 250, Reno, NV 89501
• Sparks address: 610 Waltham Way, Sparks, NV 89434
• Phone: (800) 824-6191

Bottom Line

FNCB specializes in very old debt and has a 2019 CFPB action for failing to investigate identity theft disputes. Never pay without first verifying the original delinquency date against your state’s statute of limitations.

Check who is actually furnishing the credit bureau tradeline before disputing, and file a CFPB complaint referencing the 2019 action if FNCB continues reporting after an identity theft dispute.