Is this legal?

[ZORG]

I took a business trip for an employer in 2004.

My employer required me to have a Diners Club card in order to cover the business expenses. I did not have a Diners Club account. I was turned down for one when I applied for one at my employer’s request. My employer really wanted me to take this business trip so the company applied for a Diners Club card for me. It was approved. I went on the trip and I only used the card to pay for legitimate business expenses that were to be covered by my employer.

The card had my name on it, but the account had my employers name on it.

I was laid off from the same job several months later. I was required to turn the Diners Club card into my employer upon the termination of my employment. I only ever used that card during the business trip for which it was intended.

Soon after my termination, Diners Club began contacting me for payment of about 150.00 of unpaid charges. I contacted my ex-employer and asked why I was getting the collection letters. I also contacted Diners Club and informed them that my previous employer should have paid the balance of the bill.

After my initial communications between the two (my ex-employer and Diners Club) the collection calls and letters stopped. I never heard from Diners Club after that time. UNTIL...

I recently began cleaning up my credit. Now that I have disputed several items (successfully deleted) I now have this old Diners Club displayed on my credit reports (all three) as a charge off. It was not there before I began disputing items but is on my reports now.

Clearly, my previous employer did not take care of this matter, but I find it unusual that the issue has suddenly appeared on my credit reports even though I have not had a collection letter or phone call in about three years. Is this legal? If not, what are my options? And what would have prompted Diners Club to attach this item to my credit report now and not before now?

Thanks!

~Z

[someonesomewhere]

Since you were denied, and your employer obtained one for you, it sounds like the card was owned by the company but you were simply an authorized user.

DV it. I would use the 1-2 punch as described here. I think Dive is credited with originating it, but Methuss' description was the best I found searching.