Carol and I got a letter this afternoon from the National Consumer Telecom and Utilities Exchange (NCTUE), a subsidiary of Equifax based in Atlanta. As best I can tell (I’ve never heard of it before today) the NCTUE is a way for phone companies and utility companies to exchange data on deadbeat customers, so that when a guy who owes three grand to the phone company moves to another state, the phone company there can examine his application with a more critical eye and possibly deny the account. In that it’s a lot like a conventional credit reporting firm, albeit a vertical-market one.
The letter was very plain, not on any sort of letterhead, and relatively crude by my standards. (I could have set up a mail merge like that using a spreadsheet twenty years ago.) It did not come with a glossy explanatory flyer, as I would expect. The key message in the letter is this: According to Colorado law, a consumer reporting agency (like NCTUE) is required to send a free report to consumers who receive either:
- Eight credit inquiries (no indication of a timeframe) from a telecom or utility firm; or
- A single report that adds negative information to someone’s NCTUE file.
To receive a “free disclosure copy” of our report, it suggests that we either call the number 1-866-349-5185 or fill out the bottom third of the letter sheet and send it to:
Exchange Service Center – NCTUE
PO Box 105161
Atlanta GA 30348
The phone number is a robot that immediately asks for your social security number, and provides no option to speak to a human being. The sheet requires your social security number and date of birth, along with a signature. Needless to say, they’re not getting it. Carol and I have an autopay system for all telecom/utility payments, and we keep the autopay account well-stoked. Our use is fairly predictable, and nothing has changed in a long time. The account has plenty of money in it, and no bills have failed to be paid on time. (We checked.)
Interestingly, the NCTUE Web site is not accessible right now. When I try to go to nctue.com, I get a “Bandwidth Limit Exceeded” message. What this suggests is that NCTUE is engaging in some shady marketing. If they recently dumped several million of these letters in the mail, their web site may well not be able to handle the traffic. I doubt that we got the letter because of some mistake in our own payment management. I’m guessing that gazillions of people got the same letter, and they all arrived today, and everybody is trying to go up there at once and see WTF is going on.
Either that, or they’ve pissed off enough people to earn a DDOS attack…but somehow I doubt it.
It’s unclear what NCTUE is trying to sell, and I’ll keep investigating. I’m guessing Equifax (their parent company) is trying to hawk some kind of credit protection plan, but since I won’t hand them my SS number, it’s hard to tell. In the meantime, I’d be interested in hearing if you’ve received this letter and what, if anything, you’ve done in response.
UPDATE 3/11/2012: One thing I forgot to ask people to mention in their comments: Are you in Colorado? I’m trying to determine if this effort on NCTUE’s part (whatever it turns out to be) depends on some quirk in Colorado law, or if it’s national in scope.
Also, read my next entry, for 3/11/2012!
Colorado also.
I got the same letter this afternoon (dated 4/2/2013) from the National Consumer Telecom and Utilities Exchange (NCTUE) and I immediately contact my Identity Theft Company (Lifelock) and they advised me do not respond any letter because could be a scam. I lived in Colorado too.
This people is trying to get our SSN, DOB and Signature.
PLEASE DO NOT FOLLOW THEY SCAM, DO NOT SEND ANY PERSONAL INFORMATION.
Just got our letter today. We are in Colorado.
It seems they have now used some more official letterhead. I found an article on the CBS 4 website, but I am still thinking this is a scam.
4/12/13 I also go the same letter today and I am in Colorado. I will not be giving anyone my information. When I googled them the company came up with a letter identical to mine but it gave no other options so I researched and found your info. I also think its a scam because I do not have any late issues. I did however just change my service, did anyone else just change theirs, this could be a trigger for a letter. Thanks for putting this up.
Same, live in Colorado, got the letter yesterday– 4/12/13– cancelled my Comcast cable and land line recently. Thanks all for posting….
Got mine today in Colorado. Still researching.
I got the same letter on 4/11 or 4/12. I also live in CO.
Hi guys, I’ve received the same letter few days ago. While researching it online, found out that denver TV station CBS4 has already did its investigation on it. Please read: http://denver.cbslocal.com/2012/03/15/consumer-reporting-letter-causes-confusion-concern/
yep, got the same letter dated April 2nd in Colorado. Just cancelled my Direct TV and all paid up too. Also had Comcast trying to talk me into upgrading internet so guessing it has something to do with one of those two company’s.
Live in Colorado – got letter – set it aside until I could investigate – doing nothing with it after your info. Thanks!
I got the infamous NCTUE letter at least a month ago. Maybe two months. Anything credit related makes me worry, but it made no sense. Googled and found the Colorado CBS video too. Their website’s navigation did not require SS# like the phone number did. I requested the report, BUT it never came. Today I got the exact same letter again. The address is displayed only the way it appears, incorrectly, at the county tax assessors office. Yes, I am in Colorado.
However, thanks to this long thread, I am not going to worry this time.
This website demonstrates the advantages of the internet.
Thanks.
In Col and I got the letter and made the call and gave my SSN earlier this week. Just saw this site here today. Now what do I do?
[…] nefarious is going on and has been for some time. Coloradan, Jeff Duntemann who (according to his blog reports) received one of NCTUE’s letters, did some digging and reported his findings. He posits that the […]
I received the same letter today, 7/27/13. They are still at it. I know I have never been late – have all my utilities on auto-payment. Is this really a scam? I attempted to get a free credit report online and was told I would have to send mail to equifax with copies to prove my identity to receive it. What’s up with this?
I just got the letter from NCTUE dated July 22, 2013. I live in Colorado. After reading through the letter, it seemed kind of sketchy. I Googled the company and found this thread. I am not going to reply to the letter.
I too recieved this letter dated July 22 2013. When I called the # in the letter, the first thing they ask for is my ss#, they ‘re not gonna get that. I also live in Colorado. Have only been here since February. I have always paid my bills and have no idea what this letter is talking about!i.
I too googled and found all these replys. Im not going to respond either! However I don’t want this to hurt my credit? What do you do!
Hey they’re still at it. I just received one today July 29,2013.
Told me they had negative information about me.
Not likely 🙂
I checked with all three credit bureaus and all was clean as a whistle.
Sounds very scammy to me also.
I sent it in to 9News as a newtip and referenced the CBS story back in 2012.
Got the same letter today 7-29-13. Looks like a scam on behalf of Equifax. I pay all my bills as soon as I get them and am never late. I track every debit on my account to ensure my payment has cleared.
Received a letter today, 7-29-13, also in Colorado. I’d never give anyone the information they are requesting. Did not recently cancel service, nor do we owe anyone money. it’s a big fat scam!
I just received a letter today (7-29-13)…I quit AT&T on my iPad when I got a smart phone….perhaps that was the trigger? I also live in Colorado.
I also received the letter. I did research throughout the day and found several articles related to NCTUE. I was able to contact a live representative under the Colrado resident portion of their website. I was able to obtain their report without giving out my social. I did recently change my wireless plan and it is in fact the flag at NCTUE. Never late with a zero balance and the representative concurred. My question is why is there a report if there is no negative activity? My credit is fine and no reports of fraudulent activity. I would just like to get to the bottom of this company….
Thanks Jeff for the helpful information.
got ours yesterday not going to do anything with it have my credit reports all good
Dirty rotten scumbags! I received my letter today, and was immediately alerted when they wanted me to send my SSN through the mail to some unknown entity.
Right! Fat chance!
I am in Colorado, and just moved here 4 months ago. Of course, I got my credit reports before moving, which were all fine!
I received a letter on July 22, 2013. I also live in Colorado. As a matter of fact I retired from the local telcom and as part of retirement get the local service free! It’s kind of hard to be late on FREE
I got it 7/22/13, after quitting ATT. Regardless, I paid the fees to break the contract. Not sending any info.
My husband received a letter dated July 22, 2013. I suspect it might have happened as the result of Stelera discontinuing service in CO and somehow that info triggered the NCTUE to send a letter. Regardless, it’s going in the shredder now. Thanks all for these posts.
Got this letter yesterday. like someone else posted, was able to talk to a rep by calling the # on their website under the colorado resident portion. DID NOT have to give my SSN at all.
We switched cell service in May, finally dropping AT&T and their shitty service. Verizon offered to port our numbers and told us that our AT&T would be canceled as soon as the port was effective. Took like 5 minutes and sure enough, no more AT&T. So we waited for our final bill like good little sheep, and paid the final balance in full upon receipt.
In thanks for our 3 years of on time bill payment and prompt payment of our final bill, AT&T reported us delinquent between the time we canceled our service and the time we got and paid our final bill, which comes to two months total. So I didn’t pay for service I didn’t get for the two months I didn’t get it. Seems fair to me.
I will fight with AT&T but given my previous experience with their crappy customer service I’m not hopeful. I *HATE* these people.
Just received the same letter July31, 2013. I did a web search and found this page which pretty much confirmed my suspicions that this is a lame attempt to try and somehow get some money for something. I definitely will not respond. Thanks to all for all of the feedback.
Interesting findings Keith! Same issue as me. In the time between transferring accounts, AT&T through a flag in the system even though there was never a bill passed due. Once the bill is paid, the report is updated to closed account zero balance.
It’s not NCTUE at all but rather the utility companies generating the report prematurely. I have been in contact with NCTUE via phone and email. They have been more that willing to explain their purpose in monitoring credit for utility companies. They are abiding by Colorado law by notifying the consumer of the negative hit on the account.
I hope that everyone is aware that NCTUE is legitimate and they surely monitor credit for certain utility companies of which can never be seen on your normal credit report. I suggest not ignoring the letters and calling the alternate number (which does not require a SSN) to obtain your report. If negative activity is on this report due to a utility companies bad practice it may affect you in the future when obtaining utilities.
The real issue needing addressed are the utility companies and their reporting practice. Why not report an individual by common practice after a bill is past due more than 60 days?
Hope that this clears the water for all in concern although I can agree that the mailings by NCTUE need some major TLC and alternate to obtain this report other than a SSN.
Received the same letter dated 7-22-13. We did switch to Verizon from AT&T in April, so perhaps that was the trigger! Thanks for all of the information.
I got the letter 7/31/13. I started researching it and found you. Its dated 7/22/13. I have not changed my service nor have I been late on anything. I will not be replying to it – however, I will be pulling my credit report just to make sure all is well.
I really appreciate all the information- its very helpful.
In CO, received the letter 3 times now over 18 months. Finally took the step to order the free report from NCTUE. It showed an unpaid final bill from Comcast from 2009. Not true… I now have a letter from Comcast refuting this, and they state they have never reported me for an unpaid final bill.
The letter from NCTUE includes an option to buy a copy of my score for $7.95. I’m guessing this is the scam. They gen up something fake that triggers the letter, and then some percentage of recipients buy the report. Or, like me, they waste a lot of time on it!
I’m in CO, received this letter today. I immediately went to annualcreditreport.com and obtained yearly credit reports. Just as I knew they would be, they are spotless…I have an over 800 credit score. Of course I was concerned when I received this letter because my credit is VERY important to me. Thank you for posting this info and I’m glad I found it. I’d like to do something else to report these people, if possible though.
Any letter that I receive and is asking for my full SS number and my full DOB, I consider suspect. I refuse to respond to them and proceeded to do further research. I don’t trust the company and I don’t believe I have anything negative with my utilities companies. I always pay my bills. NCTUE is alledging that they are in the possession of a report that added negative information to my NCTUE file. What a joke.
I received a letter from NCTUE on November 8th. This letter had a letter head and advised that I send for my NCTUE credit report( there was no return envelope sent.). I live in Colorado and will not respond to the letter.
I received the NCTUE letter stating information about utilities and whatnot. I called and put in my social security number, because I had recently left a different state after breaking up with my boyfriend and we lived together splitting the bills and i moved to Colorado. After reading this, now I am nervous. I don’t know what to do or who to call now that I put my information out there. Help!!
I received the exact same letter today regarding negative reporting. Anyone asking for my SSN or personal information, will not get it! It has to be a scam – no one else would ask for this type of info.
Any yes, I live in Colorado.
In colorado – received on Nov. 19 – letter dated Nov. 8th. I had never heard of them before and because we have excellent credit I googled to see who they were (without any belief that it was real). I think they use Exquifax as a means of sounding legit.
This is november 20, 2013 and i got this letter posted from the 8th. Not sending the information to anyone cause i know all my bills are paid on time and are up to date.
Got the same letter dated Nov 8 today. In hubby’s name. He called the number, got the recording, and left all the info they wanted. Can’t believe it. Now I am hoping nothing goes wrong.
Lea–
Please stop back here and tells us what, if anything, NCTUE sends you, and whether the report of a negative entry was BS. Thanks!
I got this letter, nov 8 2013. it did seem shady, though a little more professional than the letter you received I think, I guess they’ve improved they’re materials. I live in colorado and also received another more legit letter from experian at the same time that was related to an unpaid utility bill (lost in transfer during a move). so NCTUE does look shady, but my letter did seem related.
thanks for this article and post, this was helpful
Just received my letter. I was completely surprised and immediately suspicious. I live in Colorado. It seems to me if this were legitimate weall would have heard of it already. Every person commenting here is completely surprised and confused. Hmmmnn …
Hi, I received the November 8 letter too and thought it strange since our accounts are in my husband’s name. I did go to annualcreditreport.com to get my free credit report, and there were no inquiries or anything negative on there.
It is a good idea to check your credit yearly, but make sure that you only go through annualcreditreport.com as that is legitimately authorized by the government to give you your free credit report. Here is info from the Federal Trade Commission about it: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0155-free-credit-reports
Many thanks for the link! A lot of people have never heard of that Web site, nor the FTC Web site.
Same. I got the report, and there, I see no negative information. The only history is from Verizon, where we’ve been on autopay for years. I called the NCTUE service people, and they could not explain the “negative report” either. They said the lastest payment is listed as payment past due, 1-30 days. They also tried to explain that they just post what Verizon sends them, and that they would call Verizon and inform them that the account is on autopay (like Verizon doesn’t know). They agree to open this inquiry as a dispute, and address it with Verizon.
My guess is that this is just a shady way to get people to order the more detailed credit history for $7.95, or whatever they’re charging. Basically a scam. But it probably works, because when insurance companies are looking at your credit history to determine your premiums, it raises the stakes on your rating(s). Very sneaky…
I too received the same letter as you all have described. I personally do not owe any money (minus student loans) and pay everything on time, I have NOT recently signed up or canceled anything that I currently pay on. SCAM! I’m glad I found this website, and yes, whoever is behind this is still at it!
They are still at it. My letter arrived 17 January 2014. I’ll try to contact the state attorney about this scam. Are they targeting a certain age group?
I got the same letter today 1/18/2014. I am in Colorado.
Glad to see all the replies. So looks like nothing I have to respond to. Thanks for all that posted a comment as they all confirm what I suspected.
They just got me too. I am also in Colorado. I panicked because I’m super critical of my credit. I knew I hadn’t missed any payments or abandoned any accounts. It is January 18 (letter is dated January 13) and I got very suspicious when it just asked for my SS#. No way in heck am I handing that out to a company I have never heard of! Thanks for posting this on your site. I think it has really helped a lot of us out here.
I too received the same letter today 1/18/2014.
Here are some facts:
– I recently had some cloning and fradulant bills on my wireless service.
(which have been corrected)
– I have kept in very close contact with my wireless provider. After I
received the letter I contacted my provider. Waiting to make further
contact.
BUT, within 5 min after contacting my provider I received a call from a 949 area code out of Irvine, CA. on my cell phone. DID NOT ANSWER
NOTE: When I call my wireless provider I always us the LAND LINE AND NOT MY CELL. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT IRVINE, CA HAS CALLED. VERY INTERESTING
I also received this letter on January 18, 2014, dated January 13th. I also live in CO. From my banking background, agencies will not ask for your social security # and DOB. All my utilities and cell phones bills are on autopay. This letter is set up with unprofessional fonts and composition. I highly doubt it has been approved by a trained compliance officer.
I received this same letter on January 18, 2014. It is dated January 13, 2014. I am a Colorado resident. The request for my SSN# and DOB is what caught my attention and made me suspicious of the validity of the letter. Additionally, I take great pride in paying my bills on time and every one of my creditors has multiple methods for reaching me if some mishap allowed a payment to be delayed or incorrectly posted. As I have not received a phone call, email, or written notice of any payment problem, I guessed this to be a scam. Just in case, I opted to obtain my annual free credit report from all 3 credit reporting agencies today and found absolutely zero instances of negative credit activity as well as no indication of identity theft. I absolutely believe this letter is a scam.
I received a letter dated January 13, 2014. Was concerned about a fraud on my account, but after reading this realized I have cancelled a line with Verizon, and eventually will cancel all contracts as we move overseas. I know that we have been late on a couple payments but have been in contact with verizon about it. I will call to make sure that they don’t have something that would keep them from allowing us a phone service one day. I won’t share any information.
Never heard of the b******s. Have clean credit. Will report to the secretary of state’s office.