Added as joint cardholder by accident! Help!

[RecentGrad85]

Hello, new to the board. My name is Rob, and I'm a recent college graduate now dealing with private loan payments and real life!

To make a long story short, while in college my mom added me to a credit card of hers as an "authorized user," (she had the card for a few years before she did this) well so we thought. Fast forward about 2 years later, my mother has run into some financial difficulties due to an illness and now being on an fixed income (she was an active RN before).....

At the advice of her lawyer, she has stopped making payments on the card (last payment she made was in January), and for several months (8), she has not been making the minimum payments, but has been making smaller payments.

Well, I ignorantly called to see how to remove my name from the account (hadn't used it in about a year, mom got a new card, said I was not authorized to use the account) and what the ramifications were on my credit. That's when I was told that I was a "joint holder" on the account (they had me on the account as the spouse!) and that I couldn't be removed and that the debt was my responsibility. My mom (a very honest woman) said she thought she was adding me as a user not a joint holder. The customer service agent stated that in order to be added as a joint user I would have had to fill out paper work....I NEVER FILLED OUT PAPERWORK...my mom said she did, but her intention was to add me simply as a user. So the Target Card/Visa fraud dept tells me that I need to report fraud against my mom and fill out a police report. Of course I don't want to do that.

What can I do?

[nerves]

Was there a signature with your name completed by your mother or you? If yes, then I would guess you were added a joint acct holder and would be responsible for the debt. If no, I don't think the creditor has a leg to stand on. I would demand a copy of the signature.

[RecentGrad85]

Thanks for the response!

The fraud department is searching for the copy of the agreement. It wasn't signed by me, it MAY have been signed by my mother....and if she did, she didn't know what she was doing. Target stated that I had to be the one to sign the agreement though.

[RecentGrad85]

*UPDATE* (read first post for the back story)

I called Target today, it was almost like I was speaking with TOTALLY different company. They were rude, and would not let me talk.

I asked for an update on the documentation they were supposed to be finding and sending. They refused, and only grilled me to collect. I called back again thinking maybe I just got a grumpy rep...NOPE the same thing, only this time the rep stated they could investigate and remove my name until the account was brought current. My mom is not able to do that at this time...

What should I do? They have a legal obligation to produce the written agreement right? (an agreement that I didn't sign, and have serious doubts that my mother fully signed)

[ForumReader]

To the OP, sorry this happened to you. This must be very frustrating. I think in light of numerous incidents by credit card companies not keeping track of their paperwork to prove such and such, it is time for credit card companies to really keep track of their applicants' paperwork on file or else they will just be screwed anyway. They need to prove that your mother did sign you as a joint card holder (if by accident). They just can't make up something like this without any proof.

[OutofLuck]

You're not alone.

My mother originally signed up for a Discover card back in late 90s over the phone (no paperwork at all), but when I turned 18 she wanted to add me on as an authorized user - I said OK.

She did that over the phone too - no paperwork, no signatures from her, or me. Then come to find out in 2008 when I got a copy of my credit report, they had me down as a joint owner too and as "married".

She called them, I called them - for awhile we thought they actually were investigating. But then we didn't hear anything for a long time so I called again to ask about the status. That's when I got told that SOMEONE wrote in the "notes" on our account that we didn't want to pursue the matter anymore which was a TOTAL, OUTRIGHT LIE.

Ever since they just kept giving us the run around, getting no where. Well at the end of 08, my work cut my pay by HALF and my Mom doesn't work (we're fighting for disability) so we had to stop paying on our cards just to survive and keep our electric/gas/etc. on.

I've been trying to save up pennies ever since for a BK lawyer, I'm 1 paycheck away and BOOM, Discover served us with papers yesterday - both of us. *sigh*

I think this happens a lot more often than they lead on. Wishing you luck!

[Flamingo]

In order for you to be added as a "joint" user on any account, an applicartion and signature is required. In order to add you as an authorized user, the holder of the card has to contact the creditor and request that for the person and the new person on the account may have to sign and provide their SS number but there is no application process involved. Do you remember signing anything? It can be a confusing process if one doesn't specifically read what they are signing to make sure it is just to be added as an authorized user. If you did not sign anything, there is no way you can be a joint user on the account.

If they are stating you are a joint user on the account, they are required to provide you with any information as to your account and details as to what occurred as to the process of adding you on the account. If you signed they will have your signature on file as it is a contract. They cannot provide credit/financial information to you if you are just an authorized user as the account was opened by your mother.

Many people were lax in prevoius years as to their icredit accounts and adding on joint or authorized users, never worrying about any repercussions. This is a good example of what can happen when one doesn't keep track of what is showing on their account statements and/or theiri credit reports because it will show on your credit report whether or not you are a joint owner of the account or an authorized user.

Best of luck to you...hopefully you can get this resolved quickly.