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Parents Face The Police After Kid Finds $15K Credit Debt In Their Name
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Parents Face The Police After Kid Finds $15K Credit Debt In Their Name

Parents Face The Police After Kid Finds $15K Credit Debt In Their NameParents Commit Identify Theft, Tell Child To Declare Bankruptcy Or Move OutParents Open Credit Cards In Kid’s Name, Rack Up $15,000 Worth Of Debt“I Owe Over $15,000”: Parents Threaten To Kick A Child Out After Putting Them In DebtParents Want Child To Go Bankrupt Or Leave Home After Racking Up A $15k Debt In Their NameParents Get Their Kid $15,000 In Credit Debt, Tell Them To File For Bankruptcy Or Face EvictionCollege Student Discovers $15K Debt In Their Name, Faces Devastating UltimatumParents Give Child An Ultimatum After Secretly Racking Up A $15,000 Debt In Their NameKid’s Future At Stake After Realizing Parents Committed Identity Theft, Landing Them $15K In Debt
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You’d expect that grownups are better at handling money than their kids. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Just because someone is older doesn’t automatically make them wiser. Nor does it mean they’ll make good financial decisions. In some cases, adults even try to take advantage of their more naive or trusting family and friends.

Internet user u/Parental-problematic asked the r/CreditScore online community for help handling a tough situation at home. They revealed how their parents secretly took out a bunch of credit cards in their name, racking up a massive debt. Read on for the full story, as well as a captivating update about what the author did next.

A bad credit score and massive debt can have a deeply negative impact on your future

Image credits: damirkhabirov (not the actual image)

An internet user opened up about how they found out that their parents stole their identity to open a few credit cards

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Image credits: Prostock-studio (not the actual image)

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Image credits: Parental-problematic

It’s most often close family and friends who commit identity theft

According to the author of the viral story, they found out about the $15,000 debt in their name completely by accident. As it turns out, the two adults used their kid’s identity to open a few credit cards.

The parents’ “logic” was that their kid could simply declare bankruptcy and that the debt didn’t matter much because they wouldn’t be buying property any time soon. In other words, the couple felt entitled to their kid’s good credit score and identity to get access to more money.

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In response, the author filed a police report. They also got in touch with the authorities after they were unceremoniously kicked out of their parents’ house. It’s likely that the situation will only escalate from there.

“The state’s attorney’s office will be in contact in the next few weeks regarding identity theft charges. He said he believes they will likely prosecute, possibly as soon as this week,” they wrote. Unfortunately, u/Parental-problematic’s account was suspended, so we were unable to reach out to them for further comment.

According to SoFi Learn, it’s easier for a person’s relatives to commit identity theft because they have easier access to their personal information. Often, it’s someone who’s vulnerable who is the victim, like children or seniors.

In three-quarters of child identity fraud cases, the perpetrators are either family members or friends. Meanwhile, when it comes to senior identity fraud, nearly two-thirds of the time, it’s a family member who is at fault.

If you don’t solve the problem ASAP, your plans could get derailed

While ‘family is family’ rings true, it doesn’t give someone related to you by blood the right to do anything and everything they want with your identity or finances. Not only does it erode trust on a deeply personal level, but it can also throw a wrench into your future plans.

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While a bad credit score isn’t the end of the world (you can recover from it), it does make life a heck of a lot harder than it has to be.

Investopedia points out that a bad credit score means that you’ll have a harder time taking out car and home loans and qualifying for a regular credit card in the future.

Even if you do get a loan, the odds are that you’ll get saddled with a high interest rate. In other words, you’ll end up paying more because your credit score shows you’re untrustworthy. You’ll also end up shelling out more for auto and homeowners insurance.

Meanwhile, your career prospects can suffer, too. If you’re applying for high-ranking positions, especially in organizations linked to finances, your low credit score can be a huge red flag to your prospective employers.

There’s another issue as well. If you don’t report the identity theft, the authorities might consider you an accessory to the crime. Getting a criminal record is also going to make it harder for you to get a good job in the future. So, the best course of action is to file reports with the authorities and the credit card issuers.

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In the meantime, it’s probably best to distance yourself from the people who feel entitled to your good credit. Family members are supposed to support one another, not take advantage.

What would you have done if you were in the author’s shoes, dear Pandas? Has anyone ever stolen your identity or opened credit cards in your name? What did you do then? You can share your thoughts in the comments section.

The internet had a few suggestions to share with the author. Here’s what they told them

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Later, the author shared an update about how they started solving the problem

Image credits: Kindel Media (not the actual image)

Image credits: Parental-problematic

Here’s how some folks reacted after they read the second half of the story

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Jonas Grinevičius

Jonas Grinevičius

Writer, BoredPanda staff

Read more »

Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

Read less »
Jonas Grinevičius

Jonas Grinevičius

Writer, BoredPanda staff

Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

Dominyka

Dominyka

Author, BoredPanda staff

Read more »

I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda, crafting captivating visual content to enhance every reader's experience. Sometimes my mornings are spent diving into juicy dramas, while afternoons are all about adding extra laughs to the world by editing the funniest memes around. My favorite part of the job? Choosing the perfect images to illustrate articles. It's like imagining a story as a movie in my mind and selecting the key shots to tell the story visually.

Read less »

Dominyka

Dominyka

Author, BoredPanda staff

I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda, crafting captivating visual content to enhance every reader's experience. Sometimes my mornings are spent diving into juicy dramas, while afternoons are all about adding extra laughs to the world by editing the funniest memes around. My favorite part of the job? Choosing the perfect images to illustrate articles. It's like imagining a story as a movie in my mind and selecting the key shots to tell the story visually.

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Trillian
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can someone explain the legal situation here bc this could never happen in my country? To open a bank account or have a card issued you need to identify yourself in person or via a certified process. No way could I do that for my adult son.

Bearandtank
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the US when you are born you are issued a special tax # called a social security. It is a number that is unique to you that the government uses to verify that you are who you are. Other agencies can also use that number to verify. When you sign up for a credit card you provide this #, it is connected to your overall credit score which banks use to determine if you're eligible for a loan and credit card companies use determine your limit. Unfortunately your parents have access to this # and some are scummy.

Load More Replies...
Noproblem
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

All that feedback & I didn’t see anyone telling the kid he can apply to have a new SSN issued. One his parents WON’T know.

Mad Dragon
Community Member
4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The Social Security Administration will rarely issue a person a new number, and it takes a lot of paperwork and hoops to prove that it is necessary. It's generally only in the case of massive, total identity theft (more than credit cards fraudulently issued by one or two people), or in cases where the person's life is in peril due to stalking or domestic violence.

Load More Replies...
Historyharlot93
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is such a common story. My parents did this to me, but it was back in the days where credit cards sent you the “pre-approved” letters with a check to cash, that opened the account for you. I was away at college, so they opened at least 3 accounts in my name. Promised to pay, and they did until my Dad lost his job. I got married out of college to my husband who had just been commissioned in the military, where debt in collections was a no no. I graduated with college debt of $5000 (Pell Grant), then another $10,000 in CC debt. This was in the early 90s. There was a nonprofit business we went to that helped negotiate settlements with CC companies, then consolidated our debt into monthly payments. It so helped out. It wasn’t called identity theft back then. It was just parents being major a******s and committing fraud.

Scott Rackley
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not only that, when they told you to file bankruptcy after they maxxed the account, and if you had agreed, congratulations you're now a accessory to fraud.

Marno C.
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Parents think he can declare bankruptcy and rule himself out of job prospects and earlier home ownership? No, they can sell their house to pay for the debts they racked up and for their lawyer fees for this betrayal of trust. And look how they ordered him out of the house; attempted emotional blackmail there.

Jaguarundi
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mother was even more fiendish. After I moved out to live with my fiance, she put me as co-signer on ALL of her credit cards, her car loan and other financial devices. I found this out when the credit reporting agency called my work, since I no longer lived with her, and being co-signatory, I didn't receive the bills nor dun notices. $30,000.00 US she owed them all. I threatened her with arrest and froze all of my accounts and credit reports from then on. A friend lost her house this way, her ex-boyfriend put her in as co-signatory and charged even more on "their" accounts.

kath morgan
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pay nothing!! Don’t acknowledge any responsibility for it or they can use that against you.

Melissa anderson
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They need to get a lawyer and report their parents to the police for identity theft. Their parents committed a felony. They are thieves and really horrible parents with absolutely no integrity

RevBear
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My ex-wife did this to one of my daughters. I contacted the police, filed a report, and she now has a felony conviction following her the rest of her life. Took a long time to expunge my 11 year old daughter's credit report. Financial abuse is abuse.

Load More Replies...
Livingwithcfs
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What ever she does she shouldn't pay anything to tge collection company because by doing so means she accepts tge debt... they can be nasty like that

Jude Laskowski
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I feel awful that your parents did this to you. Proud of you for going to the police immediately. You probably already know this, but save every single record and make copies. Don't hesitate to contact your state's Consumer Fraud department if you live in the U.S. Hang in there; it will get better. Glad your friend has a room for you. Don't let your "parents" try to talk you out of prosecuting.

Sir Panda
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Uh that's fraud and ID theft. Since they screwed you over, I see no issue with screwing them back. Talk to a lawyer and law enforcement.

KatSaidWhat
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My dude, that sucks hard. Unfortunately you're going to have to get Fraud squad involved. Your future depends on it. Mom is an actual thief. Get put, no contact with her. Dad sounds like roped in and tried to put up a fight. Fix your problem first with proof then move on. Good luck.

Steve Hall
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There was a story just like this last week on BP, it is probably the same story reworded.

Melinda Landis
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I knew parents who used their kids’ SS# and names/bd etc to sign up for utilities, credit cards and so on. I can’t imagine the shock the kids had the first time they tried to open a cc account or get a utility, only to find they “were sent to collections “ when they were five.

Bryn
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"my parents did it to me!" and it wasn't okay then!!

The Starsong Princess
Community Member
4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Good for OP for going to the police. If LW hadn’t and gone bankrupt instead, what would prevent the parents from doing it again? They should also go to their university for help - this is financial abuse and some universities will help students being abused.

Verena
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Credit score is unknown in my countries (the one I was born in and the one I currently live). One avoids to get into unecessary debt = credit cards are paid fully every month. Mortgage and car are normal debts. Plus credit cards require personal identification, it is impossible to apply for one as family member. If you cannot apply yourself, you are not fit for the resonsibilities a credit card brings with it.

Fox with a Dragon Tattoo
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is clearly America, and like all our systems its setup to work against ot outright ruin the individual. In person isnt required or any safety measures. It takes a couple pieces of info and thats it. And its the victims mess to clean up and prove they did nothing wrong.. because all our laws protect corporations.

Load More Replies...
Trillian
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can someone explain the legal situation here bc this could never happen in my country? To open a bank account or have a card issued you need to identify yourself in person or via a certified process. No way could I do that for my adult son.

Bearandtank
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the US when you are born you are issued a special tax # called a social security. It is a number that is unique to you that the government uses to verify that you are who you are. Other agencies can also use that number to verify. When you sign up for a credit card you provide this #, it is connected to your overall credit score which banks use to determine if you're eligible for a loan and credit card companies use determine your limit. Unfortunately your parents have access to this # and some are scummy.

Load More Replies...
Noproblem
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

All that feedback & I didn’t see anyone telling the kid he can apply to have a new SSN issued. One his parents WON’T know.

Mad Dragon
Community Member
4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The Social Security Administration will rarely issue a person a new number, and it takes a lot of paperwork and hoops to prove that it is necessary. It's generally only in the case of massive, total identity theft (more than credit cards fraudulently issued by one or two people), or in cases where the person's life is in peril due to stalking or domestic violence.

Load More Replies...
Historyharlot93
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is such a common story. My parents did this to me, but it was back in the days where credit cards sent you the “pre-approved” letters with a check to cash, that opened the account for you. I was away at college, so they opened at least 3 accounts in my name. Promised to pay, and they did until my Dad lost his job. I got married out of college to my husband who had just been commissioned in the military, where debt in collections was a no no. I graduated with college debt of $5000 (Pell Grant), then another $10,000 in CC debt. This was in the early 90s. There was a nonprofit business we went to that helped negotiate settlements with CC companies, then consolidated our debt into monthly payments. It so helped out. It wasn’t called identity theft back then. It was just parents being major a******s and committing fraud.

Scott Rackley
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not only that, when they told you to file bankruptcy after they maxxed the account, and if you had agreed, congratulations you're now a accessory to fraud.

Marno C.
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Parents think he can declare bankruptcy and rule himself out of job prospects and earlier home ownership? No, they can sell their house to pay for the debts they racked up and for their lawyer fees for this betrayal of trust. And look how they ordered him out of the house; attempted emotional blackmail there.

Jaguarundi
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My mother was even more fiendish. After I moved out to live with my fiance, she put me as co-signer on ALL of her credit cards, her car loan and other financial devices. I found this out when the credit reporting agency called my work, since I no longer lived with her, and being co-signatory, I didn't receive the bills nor dun notices. $30,000.00 US she owed them all. I threatened her with arrest and froze all of my accounts and credit reports from then on. A friend lost her house this way, her ex-boyfriend put her in as co-signatory and charged even more on "their" accounts.

kath morgan
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pay nothing!! Don’t acknowledge any responsibility for it or they can use that against you.

Melissa anderson
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They need to get a lawyer and report their parents to the police for identity theft. Their parents committed a felony. They are thieves and really horrible parents with absolutely no integrity

RevBear
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My ex-wife did this to one of my daughters. I contacted the police, filed a report, and she now has a felony conviction following her the rest of her life. Took a long time to expunge my 11 year old daughter's credit report. Financial abuse is abuse.

Load More Replies...
Livingwithcfs
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What ever she does she shouldn't pay anything to tge collection company because by doing so means she accepts tge debt... they can be nasty like that

Jude Laskowski
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I feel awful that your parents did this to you. Proud of you for going to the police immediately. You probably already know this, but save every single record and make copies. Don't hesitate to contact your state's Consumer Fraud department if you live in the U.S. Hang in there; it will get better. Glad your friend has a room for you. Don't let your "parents" try to talk you out of prosecuting.

Sir Panda
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Uh that's fraud and ID theft. Since they screwed you over, I see no issue with screwing them back. Talk to a lawyer and law enforcement.

KatSaidWhat
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My dude, that sucks hard. Unfortunately you're going to have to get Fraud squad involved. Your future depends on it. Mom is an actual thief. Get put, no contact with her. Dad sounds like roped in and tried to put up a fight. Fix your problem first with proof then move on. Good luck.

Steve Hall
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There was a story just like this last week on BP, it is probably the same story reworded.

Melinda Landis
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I knew parents who used their kids’ SS# and names/bd etc to sign up for utilities, credit cards and so on. I can’t imagine the shock the kids had the first time they tried to open a cc account or get a utility, only to find they “were sent to collections “ when they were five.

Bryn
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"my parents did it to me!" and it wasn't okay then!!

The Starsong Princess
Community Member
4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Good for OP for going to the police. If LW hadn’t and gone bankrupt instead, what would prevent the parents from doing it again? They should also go to their university for help - this is financial abuse and some universities will help students being abused.

Verena
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Credit score is unknown in my countries (the one I was born in and the one I currently live). One avoids to get into unecessary debt = credit cards are paid fully every month. Mortgage and car are normal debts. Plus credit cards require personal identification, it is impossible to apply for one as family member. If you cannot apply yourself, you are not fit for the resonsibilities a credit card brings with it.

Fox with a Dragon Tattoo
Community Member
4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is clearly America, and like all our systems its setup to work against ot outright ruin the individual. In person isnt required or any safety measures. It takes a couple pieces of info and thats it. And its the victims mess to clean up and prove they did nothing wrong.. because all our laws protect corporations.

Load More Replies...
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