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  1. #1
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    Default Fraudulent Credit Card Charges

    My question involves personal finance in the State of: Oregon

    My boyfriend was with his ex girlfriend for approximately 4 years, ending in 2011. My boyfriend recently discovered that towards the end of their relationship, his ex opened a Discover credit card in his name. She was the secondary member on the credit card. She had all of the statements sent to her address, and my boyfriend never knew he had an account. Within a year, the ex moved back to North Carolina (from Oregon, where we live) and had all statements sent to her new address. My boyfriend was only aware of the charges, totalling more than 7000 dollars, about 4 months ago; when he checked his credit report in preparation for a possible home loan. Calling the credit card company, he was told that he was ultimately responsible for the charges. Anyone have any insight?

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Fradulent Credit Card Charges

    Has he called the police? That's the first step. After that, it'd be a good idea to know what he was told by the Police.

  3. #3
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    Default Re: Fradulent Credit Card Charges

    He has not. Do you know if he would need to file in NC (where it appears most of the charges were made) or in Oregon, where he lives?

  4. #4
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    Default Re: Fradulent Credit Card Charges

    Quote Quoting Star512
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    He has not. Do you know if he would need to file in NC (where it appears most of the charges were made) or in Oregon, where he lives?
    Start with NC local police where the ex lives.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Fraudulent Credit Card Charges

    Quote Quoting Star512
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    My question involves personal finance in the State of: Oregon

    My boyfriend was with his ex girlfriend for approximately 4 years, ending in 2011. My boyfriend recently discovered that towards the end of their relationship, his ex opened a Discover credit card in his name. She was the secondary member on the credit card. She had all of the statements sent to her address, and my boyfriend never knew he had an account. Within a year, the ex moved back to North Carolina (from Oregon, where we live) and had all statements sent to her new address. My boyfriend was only aware of the charges, totalling more than 7000 dollars, about 4 months ago; when he checked his credit report in preparation for a possible home loan. Calling the credit card company, he was told that he was ultimately responsible for the charges. Anyone have any insight?

    I'll give you my insight. The story doesn't seem possible although I suppose it is plausible and here is why. Three years ago your boyfriend's ex applies for credit in boyfriend's name making her (using her real name) as the secondary cardholder. She has the statements sent to an address that is not your boyfriend's (although he is supposedly the applicant) but is her real address. Then she moves to NC and again changes the mailing address to her new address.

    So when the CC company saw the disparity on the addresses they never called your boyfriend for confirmation that it was a legit application? Having a statement sent to an address other than the primary cardholder is a sure sign of fraud and CC companies are aware of this.

    Your boyfriend did not get a phone call, a copy of a statement in the mail, or any other notification from the CC company for 3 years is your story. That can only mean that the girlfriend was maintaining the account and making payments but now there is a balance of $7,000 but that doesn't mean the account is in default. There has not been any attempt at collection or your boyfriend would have been served.

    I don't know who ended the relationship but this saga (if true) suggests to me that your boyfriend did open that account for his then girlfriend. He found out about the 'fraud' 4 months ago and has done nothing. Why didn't he close the account when he found out? It is after all an account in his name.

    If there is any truth to the story, I would contact the CC company and ask for all the statements and the application before I contacted any police. I wouldn't want your boyfriend getting in trouble for filing a false police report.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Fraudulent Credit Card Charges

    Quote Quoting budwad
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    Three years ago your boyfriend's ex applies for credit in boyfriend's name making her (using her real name) as the secondary cardholder.
    No... this happened more like four or five years ago, when they were still living together:
    Quote Quoting Star512
    View Post
    My boyfriend recently discovered that towards the end of their relationship, his ex opened a Discover credit card in his name.
    Then, after they broke up, she apparently had the credit card company change the address on the credit card to hers such that -- from that point forward -- the bills went to her new home. It's not clear whether she and the boyfriend were living together at the time the account was opened.
    Quote Quoting budwad
    He found out about the 'fraud' 4 months ago and has done nothing. Why didn't he close the account when he found out? It is after all an account in his name.
    I don't know the policies of this particular card, but I've heard people state that they have had credit card companies tell them that if they want to close an account they need to first pay off the balance. Still, even if there were some reason why he could not close the account, it would seem that he could remove an 'authorized signer' and ask for a new credit card number.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Fraudulent Credit Card Charges

    Quote Quoting Mr. Knowitall
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    No... this happened more like four or five years ago, when they were still living together:
    Then the statements would have been sent to the boyfriends address. Yes? If it happened four or five years ago, then boyfriend was involved before the relationship went bad.

    Quote Quoting Mr. Knowitall
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    Then, after they broke up, she apparently had the credit card company change the address on the credit card to hers such that -- from that point forward -- the bills went to her new home. It's not clear whether she and the boyfriend were living together at the time the account was opened.
    Can't do that if you are not the primary cardholder.

    Quote Quoting Mr. Knowitall
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    I don't know the policies of this particular card, but I've heard people state that they have had credit card companies tell them that if they want to close an account they need to first pay off the balance. Still, even if there were some reason why he could not close the account, it would seem that he could remove an 'authorized signer' and ask for a new credit card number.
    You can still close the account to new transactions. The account will remain open until there is a zero balance and debt is satisfied.

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Fraudulent Credit Card Charges

    Quote Quoting budwad
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    Can't do that if you are not the primary cardholder.
    We were told that the boyfriend is the primary account holder.
    Quote Quoting budwad
    You can still close the account to new transactions. The account will remain open until there is a zero balance and debt is satisfied.
    That's certainly within the power of a credit card company, but I've heard of credit card companies refusing to even do that much unless the balance is paid off.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: Fraudulent Credit Card Charges

    Quote Quoting Mr. Knowitall
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    We were told that the boyfriend is the primary account holder.
    Yes that is what we were told. And it would take the primary account holder to change the mailing address. That is why I think he had knowledge of the account despite the story we were told. I suspect that ex girlfriend said she would maintain the account when they broke up and that is why the address was changed.

    Quote Quoting Mr. Knowitall
    View Post
    That's certainly within the power of a credit card company, but I've heard of credit card companies refusing to even do that much unless the balance is paid off.
    This from Discover website:



    You may cancel your Account. You will remain responsible for any amount you owe us under this Agreement.
    Any joint Accountholder may cancel a joint Account. However, both of you will remain responsible for paying all amounts owed.
    We may cancel, suspend or not renew your Account at any time without notice.
    And also this:


    Joint Accounts

    If your Account is a joint Account:
    each of you agrees to be liable individually and jointly for the entire amount owed on the Account; and
    any notice we mail to an address provided by either of you for the Account will serve as notice to both of you.
    I don't know if the account is joint or primary with additional card. That would make a difference. But why didn't boyfriend, 4 months ago, tell Discover to send him the statements or cancel the account. That is what a prudent person would do if you suspected fraud.

  10. #10
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    Jun 2013
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    Default Re: Fraudulent Credit Card Charges

    Quote Quoting budwad
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    Yes that is what we were told. And it would take the primary account holder to change the mailing address. That is why I think he had knowledge of the account despite the story we were told. I suspect that ex girlfriend said she would maintain the account when they broke up and that is why the address was changed.
    It would not take the primary card holder to change the address, it would take someone stating/identifying themselves as the primary cardholder to change the address. When I recently moved I changed the address on my credit cards via the card websites, my significant other also knows my log in credentials and could have changed the address without my knowledge. Pretending to be the cardholder is really the crux of most credit card fraud, the exact crime the OP is asking about. It really isn't that far fetched.

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