horsebyte Posted May 22, 2005 Report Share Posted May 22, 2005 Hi, haven’t been on these boards since the last time a CA tried to collect. This is the story. Was put on a Discover credit card that belonged my ex as authorized user. Pretty sure not joint because my ex had a temper and wouldn’t allow me to be a joint user but this was back in the 80's so not 100% sure. I wasn’t allowed my own card, he gave it to me when he needed me to buy things. He always insisted that the credit card be paid in full each month. After divorce, stupid me, assumed he took me off his cards like I took him off mine. Nope. He was ok for a while, then went manic and charged up the card. Discover closed account when it got over $4,000 and he quit making payments. This was 2/2001 and while the account was in SD and not SOL yet, I live in NE where it should be SOL.Had even tried to get my own Discover card before that but they denied me saying that I had too many accounts. Didn’t mention that account or I would have taken myself off of it. So after arguing with CA’s that would call every once in a while (and wishing I had recorded some of the illegal tricks they tried) I finally sent a DV letter 4/2003 to get validation. Insisted in letter that they must have a signed account application to validate. They sent back a polite letter saying they were ordering the information from Discover which would take 30 days. Never heard again from them, got remarried at the time and didn’t follow up on it. Now I seem to be getting calls from another CA (not the same one that the account was sold to, according to my TU CR) I don’t pick up because I get too upset and start squeaking when I talk to these people. My current DH tells me to just settle with them, my ex says absolutely don’t (even his lawyer told me not to pay it). He went BK last year so they only have me to go after. I won’t pay it because it’s Discover’s fault and not my debt. I can sent another DV letter to the current CA as soon as I am certain who is calling and this is what they’re calling about. And hope they’re not too nutso. But it’s Discover who has changed my account status from authorized to joint and they are the company I need to deal with. My question is this. How do I write them requesting to change the status? I have heard that they’ve changed the status before and sometimes they change it back and sometimes they don’t. I’m not interested in some CA thinking they can try a lawsuit in the future to squeeze money out of me, my current DH would insist on me paying them off to avoid it. I need Discover to change the status. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willingtocope Posted May 22, 2005 Report Share Posted May 22, 2005 Hate to see you just hanging there...not sure I've got the right answer for you but here's what I'd do.First, send a DV to the current CA. Put them to rest...Second, send a letter to the executive offices of Discover documenting that this was you ex's debt which was included in BK. Point out that you were only an authorized user, which terminated at the time of your divorce and are in no way responsible for this debt. Ask if they have any evidence to the contrary to please provide it immediately by return mail, our you will be forced to seek legal counsel for action under the FCRA. (Because they're reporting incorrect info to the CRAs).And...for what its worth I agree with ex and his lawyer...this is not your problem and Discover needs to be smacked for trying to put it on you... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horsebyte Posted May 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2005 Thanks for the advice. I am a little less clueless about how to word it. There are plenty of templates for validation letters and of that sort but not anything for dealing with the original creditor. And I am still not sure who in Discover I should send it to. Has anyone ever had this problem of being changed from an authorized user to a joint account? I've heard of people dealing succesfully with this before the account got closed, but not after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willingtocope Posted May 23, 2005 Report Share Posted May 23, 2005 Do a search (button at the top) on au or authorized and see what you can find...Also, was there anything in your divorce degree about who was responsible for what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horsebyte Posted May 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2005 Thanks for the tip on searching, I knew there had to a search button on this site someplace. As for the divorce degree, it didn't even occur to bring that up with my lawyer (although she should have done it with me). But we each had our card and no debt, I paid the Discover bill every month til our separation and I knew how paranoid my ex was about running up debt. Plus every time we separated he would take me off the checking account. Unfortunately the divorce messed his head up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willingtocope Posted May 23, 2005 Report Share Posted May 23, 2005 Well, you still might want to read over the decree...it might include words to the effort that each takes their own debt, or each releases the other from any obligation... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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