Connie
“Dear Steve,
January of this year my husband used my credit card and max. it out over 20,000 in a month time. he was not a authorized user. I filed a unautherized form. I was able to make the payment because the interest was only at. 3.99% the first month. then it jumped to 19.99% struggled to make payments called and they lowered interest to 14.99. still struggled to make payment, late making one payment now interest it at 29.99% my Husband is unable to work to help.
I am unable to make the payments now because the interest is more than what I was originally stuggleing to pay each month.. is there anything i can do since i didn’t authorize any of the charges.
Connie”
The Answer:
Dear Connie,
I hope you realize this is not a problem created by the credit card company, but by your husband.
It sounds like at the time you reported the charges as unauthorized and filled out a complaint form but did not file a police report. Where the charges removed pending investigation? Did the credit card company ask you to file a police report for credit fraud against your husband? Are you willing to let your husband be criminally charged and potentially go to jail over this?
If you are willing to fight this balance and get the charges removed I think you will need to see a local attorney and find out what your legal rights are. However, it has been seven months since this happened and you’ve been making payments on the fraudulent debt, the creditor might say that you have now accepted responsibility for the debt. If that is the case it is now your debt and creditors can change your interest rate.
If you don’t want to see a local lawyer to find out how to press legal charges against your husband, find a local bankruptcy attorney to talk to. Make an appointment and go in and discuss your situation and learn what bankruptcy would mean for you. It would at least eliminate the interest that you are paying or the debt entirely.
Please let me know in the comments section of this question what you decide to do.
