Credit Card Question

[wai98007]

Hi Everyone,

My Brother is dating/almost engaged to a girl. He called me for some advice conserning a credit card bill she has. She is in a sticky finanical situation. Her mother has some struggles. The girl applied for a credit card. When the credit card arrived at her home, her mother activated it and spent a large amount of money on the card (sorry, I don't know the details as to how the mother activiated it, etc.). The daughter is now stuck with a bill for things she did not purchase. She has been making the minimum payment.
What options does she have? I am aware that a person is only responsible for something like $50 of unauthorized transactions on a credit card. Her mother is not an authorized user of her credit card. Can any of you direct me to a website that might address credit card issues if this nature? Is this considered identity theft? Keep in mind that this girl is in college. I understand that seeking legal advice might be a necessary step, but may be difficult for her to finince. I guess I am wondering what her first step should be.

Thank you

[sweeps]

Ultimately the girl will have to choose between turning her mother in or paying off the bill herself.

(And of course she should disable access to the credit card before her mother can make any more charges.)

[puck36]

1. I would stop making payments (which I would of never started in the first place).

2. Report it to the police.

3. Report it to the credit card company.

4. Take the mother to court.

I believe that you are not responsible for any of the charges that you did not make.

Far as the Brother, if he can work it out with her that great, but if it was me I would say good bye and never look back. There must be something wrong with the Girl if she is making payments for something that didn't charge. This would be fraud and the mother should go to jail.

[puck36]

Visa's "zero liability policy" covers all Visa credit and debit card transactions processed over the Visa network. The only transactions not covered under the policy are ATM and point-of-sale transactions in which you use your personal identification number and transactions that are not carried over Visa's networks. (Cards bearing a MasterCard logo also have zero liability coverage similar to Visa's. Visit the MasterCard web site at Welcome to MasterCard Worldwide for more information.)

Visa USA | Personal | Zero Liability

[buzz]

If the girl has made multiple payments already, it sounds like the liability limit is expired. Even if she does notify the police and credit card company, I'm guessing it will take a lawsuit to relieve herself of responsibility of the debt. By not getting some good advice and taking immediate action, she has put herself in a real bind.

I don't know how long they keep tapes of customer service calls, but her best evidence may be gone. Hopefully the balance isn't too large. Live and learn...

[loanstar]

she's in a difficult situation, if she wants to claim identity theft, there's a very good chance she'll put her mum in jail or atleast give her a criminal record. The only alternative is to work out a plan with her mother to pay back the money.