What would you do If your dad used your name to get a credit card and didn’t tell you?
Posted in Family on 02/08/2010 11:52 am by admin
Maggie P asked:
My father took out a credit card in my name with an $800 credit limit. It is maxed out and over about 160dollars! I found out about it tonight only after having investigated my credit report online. He didnt’ tell me at all about the credit card. I live with him and my mother. They put a roof over my head and food on the table so I dont want to get him in trouble with the law but It makes me so angry he did this. He’s having a few debt problems himself and that’s why I am afraid he’s going to skip out on making payments and It will ruin my credit history. I dont even have a job to pay for this myself that just makes me even more worried !
I dont want my credit ruined before I even get started for the future.
What can I do about this situation?
BEAU
My father took out a credit card in my name with an $800 credit limit. It is maxed out and over about 160dollars! I found out about it tonight only after having investigated my credit report online. He didnt’ tell me at all about the credit card. I live with him and my mother. They put a roof over my head and food on the table so I dont want to get him in trouble with the law but It makes me so angry he did this. He’s having a few debt problems himself and that’s why I am afraid he’s going to skip out on making payments and It will ruin my credit history. I dont even have a job to pay for this myself that just makes me even more worried !
I dont want my credit ruined before I even get started for the future.
What can I do about this situation?
BEAU
02/08/2010 at 2:52 pm
STANLEY
i think u have to confront him about it and ask him to pay for it.. and let him know u appreciate what he does for u.. but him using ur name and getting a credit isnt the right at all.. maybe he will understand he did wrong.. and pay for it .. good luck
02/11/2010 at 6:41 pm
JUAN
Like it or not, your father broke the law. Cancel the credit card immediately by calling the bank that issued the card, so he can’t use it any more. Then talk to him and make him pay it off so your credit is not ruined. Tell him you do not appreciate him doing this. Tell him he can get a part time job until it’s paid off as you need to have a good credit report. How dare him put your young life in such a state without even talking to you about it. Tell him to get financial counseling. You can also write to the credit bureaus and let them know it was not you, but your dad who took the card out in your name, so that will be on record. (To protect yourself!) Tell your dad you’re disappointed in him, he’s suppose to be a responsible adult teaching you good from bad, and you had to find this out?
02/13/2010 at 4:18 am
BARTON
Looks to me like you’ve been doing quite a bit to keep a roof over your heads and food on the table.
What he did was fraudulent, a betrayal of trust, and illegal.
Call the credit card company and let them know what has happened. I don’t think you can be held liable for his debts under these circumstances, as long as you act in order to make things clear.
I think your fears about him skipping out are realistic. If I were advising your mother, I would suggest she take action so that she doesn’t become liable for all his debts, as seems likely in the circumstances she describes. Maybe when you’re talking with the credit card company, you might ask for suggestions about how she might protect herself.
As far as talking to your father about him getting a part-time job to pay you back, you might as well save your breath to cool your soup. If he’s so sleazy or desperate that he’d steal from his own son, and stupid enough to think that he could get away with it, don’t bother trying to make good with him. Until he’s willing to take responsibility for his own life, you’re not going to change his behaviour.
I hope you and your mother have marketable skills: you’re going to need them.
He’s going to be back (or want to stay around) and continue to mooch off you and your mom. This is time to learn how to say “No”, firmly and consistently.
.
02/13/2010 at 11:03 am
HANS
Oh my gosh, you poor thing. Can you talk to your mom? Or, another family member. Why is your dad having financial problems? Maybe if your old enough you could get a small job. It’s very sacry what your going through I feel for you and no you should not have your credit ruined before you even get started. Take care little one, and God bless you.
02/15/2010 at 2:26 am
JOHNIE
You need to confront him about this - its not on!!! He has a problem and it could ruin your credit history along the way, how selfish of him… sit down with him and your mum and work out a family budget together (eg, add the household incomes together then subtract all necessary expenses, any money left over is where spending money & the repayment money for the credit card should come out of) Tell him that you need to become involve as his choices could ruin your credit rating and you wouldn’t be in a position to help the family in the future should there be any other problems, all hell my break loose between you for a while but it might be what it takes to get everything under control. Perhaps talk to the credit card company and discuss your options with them also
02/18/2010 at 7:20 am
REYNALDO
You should immediately contact each of the credit card reporting agencies (TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian), and put a credit block on your records. This will prevent anyone from opening new credit accounts or loans under your name for a period of 6 months.
If you’re under 18, you’re not liable for any expenses incurred on a credit card in your name. It should not have been issued to you in the first place. If your dad lied about your age in order to obtain the card, however, he has already committed at least 3 crimes: identity theft, misrepresentation of age, and forgery (since he had to sign your name asserting that all of the information on the credit application was true and correct).
Family is important, but he’s obviously overstepped his financial and common-sense limits. You need to talk to him about it and figure out how to put the debt on his name instead of yours. You probably need to talk to a banker or not-for-profit credit counselor to do this. If you can figure out a way to transfer the debt to his accounts instead of yours, then you can start talking to the credit card company about fixing your credit.
Chances are, if he’s already missed a payment, your credit history is already screwed up, but it’s salvageable if you report the credit card fraud. On the other hand, if he has kept up with the payments to-date, ask the credit counselor whether it would be better for you to try to pay off the card or report the fraud. You should be able to get a summer job or two and make well over $1000 before school starts again.
You need to sit down with him and ask him: would he rather face the consequences (possibly fines or brief jail time) or be responsible for ruining his daughter’s chances to succeed where he failed? Would he rather have you take care of him and your mother when they are old, or would he rather have you living on the streets with them?