I'm in the process of filing for a divorce. My husband applied for credit cards under my name and maxed all of them out. How should I handle this matter so that I don't have to pay?
by 
Jessie05
ANSWERS: 2
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You need to contact the credit card issuers IMMEDIATELY and advise them that the cards were obtained fraudulently. Explain to them what has happened and then follow up. You may find them unhelpful, as the laws in many states allow them to come after a spouse or even an ex-spouse for payment, even if the credit was only issued in one name. For that reason, you should consult an attorney as soon as possible, too. Start with your divorce attorney, who may be able to help you with the situation. If not, s/he should be able to refer you to an attorney who can. Be aware that you may well have to pursue criminal fraud charges against your ex. I'm sorry to say you probably won't get out of this without at least paying for legal counsel, which you may or may not be able to recover from your ex somewhere along the line. For additional help, you might contact Team Clark through Clark Howard's website, at: http://clarkhoward.com/inside/ask_team_clark.html They may be able to provide you with additional advice.
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That's horrible! You should file a police report, contact the creditors, and put a fraud alert on your credit report. You only need to contact one bureau and they'll notify the other two. I'd also watch out for further identity theft. These accounts were opened fraudulently, so you are not responsible for the debt. If he has other debts solely in his name, you are not responsible for them, either. It may take a while to clear this up and to salvage your FICO score. You should also put a statement on your credit reports explaining that your husband, in the divorce, took out cards in your name. Odds are that he not only maxed out the cards, but he was also late on the payments. I'm sorry this has happened to you. It's more common than you might think.
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