how do I handle this?

[mom-from-missouri]

Ok, here is the deal....

In the 2004 I noticed on my Sears card, which carried no balance, a charge for a treadmill. Turns out, my exhusband did it. He claimed he couldn't find his card and the store looked it up for him (small store in our hometown). I talked to the manager, and he said yes, he did, he didn't realize we were divorced and he transferred the charge over to my ex-husbands card. I then closed my Sears card out, and never reopened it. I verified on my credit report it was indeed closed.

In 2007, I noticed some charges I could not remember on my visa and mastercard. I filed a dispute against them and cancelled/closed my accounts.

I have not had anymore charge accounts since then.

Neither company has ever sent me an itemized billing of the items in question, despite my requesting it in writing at least 3 or 4 times, and also requesting it on the phone.

Last fall my ex passed away. What little he had, was left to my minor children, and my husband and I helped to pack him up. Amoung his possesions, we found a copy of my house key (I had the house rented and did change the locks after he moved out--house is currently rented--he had the NEW key), an old drivers license of mine, a duplicate social security card of MINE, and the credit cards in question (same card numbers, but with an older exp date on them). He also had a box of my checks (I had ordered but never received them). I also found where he had a loan with my signature on it (forged) but it was paid off.

My credit report shows where I lived at his addresses, which I never have. I have corrected it several times, and it comes off, but then goes back on again. I have sent documentation, divorce decrees everything.

The kicker is, the items on my 2 credit cards that he bought, were items he bought for the kids, or daytrips he took the kids on--for example, he used them to buy tickets for a ballgame he took the kids to while they were at his house for a week. He also took his girlfriend flavor of the month with them also....He also used it to pay for some medical bills that the court ordered him to pay......

Any advice?? How do I get this off my report?? How do I get the 2 credit card companies to respond to me??

[disneysteve]

What a lousy situation to be dealing with.

The standard answer to reporting identity theft is to file a police report. I suppose you could still do that even though the criminal is deceased.

As for the credit card companies, I would call and ask to speak with their fraud department. They should be able to help you. They'll send you an affidavit to fill out and, if you do get a police report, you can send along a copy of that.