NACA faces complaints about business practices

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America is in Charlotte this week offering help to homeowners with troubled mortgages.

At the same time, North Carolina's Attorney General's Office said it's been getting complaints about some of NACA's business practices.

The Justice Department's Consumer Protection Unit said it has received 26 complaints against NACA this year.  Half of those have come recently and involve accusations that NACA has been using robocalls to promote its events -- even with people on the national do-not-call list.

The Attorney General's Office said it sent letters to NACA asking for an explanation about the calls.

NACA CEO Bruce Marks defends the practice, saying because NACA is a nonprofit group and is offering its services for free, it is exempt from laws associated with the do-not-call list.

"We are not doing solicitation, because everything is free and we put our contact information, even my name on them," Marks said.

When Eyewitness News contacted the Attorney General's Office, a representative said it is not disputing NACA's position and no longer believes any laws were violated.

NACA acknowledges that some homeowners may not want to get its calls.

Marks said anyone who complains can have their name taken off of NACA's call list.

NACA's Save the Dream event runs at the Charlotte Convention Center through Monday.

WSOC