Authorized User and credit reporting

[sbbent]

What is the name of your state? VA

My father has listed my mother and myself as authorized users on 3 AmEx accounts. We were not aware of it, and we never signed anything, or made any charges on the accounts. I never even received any cards, and I don't think my mom has, either.

I Oct., my dad went to prison, and obviously is not making any money to pay his bills, and they have been recently sent to collections. Today, my mom and I got calls at work from the CA, who said the account was going to be sent to litigation if payment was not made.

Now, I know that we cannot be held responsible for charges we did not make, but mom is really upset about the fact that AmEx and the CA are reporting on and pulling her credit report. (The guy who called her pulled her report while on the phone and tried to get her to pay this debt with available balance on one of her cards. She refused, of course.)

My question is, how can they report on our credit reoprts and pull our reports without our permission? As I said before, we never signed anything giving them permission, and I thought that we had to give permission for our reports to be checked. Is the process different for AU's on accounts?

Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[cmorris]

Send a letter to the credit bureaus disputing the accounts as "Not Mine." Send a letter to the creditors stating to be taken off as authorized users, as you were only recently informed of being listed as such. Send a letter to the collection agency stating you dispute the debt and to only contact you by mail.

Send all of the letters certified mail return receipt. Only the account holder or a joint card holder can be responsible for the debt. As authorized users, you were only authorized to make purchases. You were NOT responsible for repayment.

Amex could have reported as being an authorized user does show up. However, the account isn't yours, so the dispute should work.

The CA has no authority to post this on your credit report as you are not liable for the debt.