So much for authorized user cards not affecting credit....

[Deleted]

I just got a ding on my credit report for a late payment on my ex's card that I was an authorized user on. 

I filed a dispute last night saying I wasn't even aware I was an authorized user and was divorced 10 months ago.  Not sure it will get anywhere.  My score is still 837 so not real bent out of shape, just kind of freaky that they're linked like that.  The authorized user card didn't even have a SS number attached, but it must be since we had the same billing address and he probably hasn't changed it. 

[ArchietheDragon]

www.creditkarma.com/article/how-being-an-authorized-user-affects-credit

[Deleted]

I had him call last week to remove me, I tried and they wouldn't take me off because I wasn't the card owner.  I didn't think that would help with the late payment though.  It will probably just show up as a closed account.  I'm hoping by disputing I can get the entire thing wiped off. 

[Deleted]

Jan 7, 2015 10:27:19 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

www.creditkarma.com/article/how-being-an-authorized-user-affects-credit

Nice.  Well, now I know how to trash someone's credit.  Just add them as an authorized user on one of my cards and don't pay.

[gacpa]

You have stellar credit, you should be proud.  Good for you.  Our credit scores are a little lower but still well over 800.  We use one credit card and pay it off each month.  No car payments, and house payment is only $409 a month.  You are probably like me, I get antsy about using credit. 

[Deleted]

Jan 7, 2015 10:43:27 GMT -5 @tbird said:

Jan 7, 2015 10:27:35 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

I had him call last week to remove me, I tried and they wouldn't take me off because I wasn't the card owner.  I didn't think that would help with the late payment though.  It will probably just show up as a closed account.  I'm hoping by disputing I can get the entire thing wiped off. 

This seems one of those catch 22 situations. How can they you be forceable kept on an account you don't want - with no 'authority' to remove yourself or close the acct?

I don't know.  I didn't push it a lot.  When I called and they asked for account number and stuff (which I didn't have), they said the account owner would need to call, so I just gave up.  Luckily we're on good enough terms that when I asked him to do that he did that same day...at least he said he did. 

[973beachbum]

Because an authorized user has no responsibility for repayment of the debt Experian will remove authorized user accounts with negative payment history upon request. Simply follow the dispute instructions provided with your credit report to request that the accounts be removed.

Learn more about how to submit a dispute at www.experian.com/disputes/main.html. We also recommend that you contact the lenders directly to be removed on their records.

www.experian.com/blogs/ask-experian/2013/12/18/experian-will-removed-delinquent-authorized-user-accounts-on-request/

I don't know if it works like this for all the credit bureaus but Experian seems to be saying they will remove it from your credit report if it is negative just by you asking.

[midjd]

Jan 7, 2015 10:43:27 GMT -5 @tbird said:

Jan 7, 2015 10:27:35 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

I had him call last week to remove me, I tried and they wouldn't take me off because I wasn't the card owner.  I didn't think that would help with the late payment though.  It will probably just show up as a closed account.  I'm hoping by disputing I can get the entire thing wiped off. 

This seems one of those catch 22 situations. How can they you be forceable kept on an account you don't want - with no 'authority' to remove yourself or close the acct?

This happened to me too! My mom added me as an authorized user on one of her cards when I went to law school because I couldn't rent a car without one. I think I used it twice (and paid her back promptly). She ended up maxing the card to the tune of $10K, which I found out when I applied for my own credit card and was told my CC utilization ratio was too high.

I spent hours on the phone with Discover to be told that I couldn't remove myself, and then months nagging my mom to call them and have me removed -- which she did, 7 years ago, but the card still shows up on my credit report. 

[Deleted]

Jan 7, 2015 10:52:25 GMT -5 midjd said:

Jan 7, 2015 10:43:27 GMT -5 @tbird said:

This seems one of those catch 22 situations. How can they you be forceable kept on an account you don't want - with no 'authority' to remove yourself or close the acct?

This happened to me too! My mom added me as an authorized user on one of her cards when I went to law school because I couldn't rent a car without one. I think I used it twice (and paid her back promptly). She ended up maxing the card to the tune of $10K, which I found out when I applied for my own credit card and was told my CC utilization ratio was too high.

I spent hours on the phone with Discover to be told that I couldn't remove myself, and then months nagging my mom to call them and have me removed -- which she did, 7 years ago, but the card still shows up on my credit report. 

Yeah, I'm not real confidant it will get removed entirely.  I'm just glad I got the notice from creditkarma about a late payment and was able to take care of it before it got real bad.  It annoys me seeing the 99.75% on-time payments though.  

[Deleted]

Jan 7, 2015 10:43:27 GMT -5 @tbird said:

Jan 7, 2015 10:27:35 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

I had him call last week to remove me, I tried and they wouldn't take me off because I wasn't the card owner.  I didn't think that would help with the late payment though.  It will probably just show up as a closed account.  I'm hoping by disputing I can get the entire thing wiped off. 

This seems one of those catch 22 situations. How can they you be forceable kept on an account you don't want - with no 'authority' to remove yourself or close the acct?

I cosigned for overdraft protection on my daughter's bank account 20+ years ago.  I actually forgot about it after she grew up (she is now 37).  Then Regions (where she banks) bought AmSouth (where I bank), and it popped up on my screen.

I have tried for two years to get it closed.  The bank won't let me close it because I am not the account owner.  With four kids and work, it's not a priority for her.  She has to do it in person.

I get angry every time I think about this.  How can I not be allowed to close a line of credit in my own name?  Fortunately, she hasn't ever overdrafted.  But I still don't want our bank accounts connected.

[sapphire12]

Wow. Just wow. I find it mind boggling that an authorized user can't remove oneself from a line of credit.

Good luck MPL and Southern!

As an aside, it's been 9 years since I paid off my truck. The loan was with PenFed. They are no longer reporting my payment history. I guess that acct is no longer serving a purpose on my credit report. I'm guessing it will officially fall off within the year, if I don't ask to have it removed before Dec of this year, when it will be 10 years old.

[JustLurkin]

I would send the below certified letter to the credit card company:

repairbadcreditnow.com/credit-repair-letters/authorized-user-removal.php/

My mom had to send a similar letter to get off one of my cards (not because I had a ding...ironically it was because she was filing bankruptcy and wanted to be sure I didn't take a hit).

[alabamagal]

My kids asked me to remove them as authorized users on my credit accounts.  In both cases it is an account with a low limit $1000, that I use to pay recurring utility bills and other charges, so that I usually have a high usage, but pay it off monthly. My kids were in college at the time and they were "emergency" cards that they never used, or only used them when I told them that I would pay for something.

I did not give the credit card companies my kids social security numbers, and my kids have a different last name.  My kids opened up credit cards with the same company and I guess because the address was the same that they made the connection that they were the same person.

[Deleted]

Well go TransUnion!  I opened a dispute with them yesterday and it said it could take up to 30 days, but I just received and email saying the investigation was completed.  I logged into the link to my report and the account has been completely deleted.  Not just closed.  Sweet.  I'm perfect again.

[Timberwolf]

Must be nice to be perfect Missy smarty pants  .  Way to go on the 837 - that's unheard of!

[tskeeter]

Jan 8, 2015 16:26:25 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Well go TransUnion!  I opened a dispute with them yesterday and it said it could take up to 30 days, but I just received and email saying the investigation was completed.  I logged into the link to my report and the account has been completely deleted.  Not just closed.  Sweet.  I'm perfect again.

That isn't necessarily a permanent fix.  It will change TransUnion's file until the next time they get an update from the credit card company.  If the information at the credit card company hasn't been changed, your TransUnion file will be updated with the latest information from the credit card company showing you as an authorized user on a credit card with late payments.  You can dispute the information again, but it can become a vicious circle unless you can actually get the information at the credit card company changed.    

[Deleted]

Jan 8, 2015 19:43:23 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

Jan 8, 2015 16:26:25 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Well go TransUnion!  I opened a dispute with them yesterday and it said it could take up to 30 days, but I just received and email saying the investigation was completed.  I logged into the link to my report and the account has been completely deleted.  Not just closed.  Sweet.  I'm perfect again.

That isn't necessarily a permanent fix.  It will change TransUnion's file until the next time they get an update from the credit card company.  If the information at the credit card company hasn't been changed, your TransUnion file will be updated with the latest information from the credit card company showing you as an authorized user on a credit card with late payments.  You can dispute the information again, but it can become a vicious circle unless you can actually get the information at the credit card company changed.    

Supposedly, ex called Capital One and had me removed as an authorized user (I threatened to go on a spending spree with the card if he didn't, so I'm pretty sure he really did have me removed), hopefully it won't report anymore. 

[tskeeter]

Jan 8, 2015 20:17:16 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Jan 8, 2015 19:43:23 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

That isn't necessarily a permanent fix.  It will change TransUnion's file until the next time they get an update from the credit card company.  If the information at the credit card company hasn't been changed, your TransUnion file will be updated with the latest information from the credit card company showing you as an authorized user on a credit card with late payments.  You can dispute the information again, but it can become a vicious circle unless you can actually get the information at the credit card company changed.    

Supposedly, ex called Capital One and had me removed as an authorized user (I threatened to go on a spending spree with the card if he didn't, so I'm pretty sure he really did have me removed), hopefully it won't report anymore. 

Way to go!  I didn't consider using a spending spree as leverage to motivate your ex to get you off the card. 

[Deleted]

Jan 8, 2015 20:27:17 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

Jan 8, 2015 20:17:16 GMT -5 minnesotapaintlady said:

Supposedly, ex called Capital One and had me removed as an authorized user (I threatened to go on a spending spree with the card if he didn't, so I'm pretty sure he really did have me removed), hopefully it won't report anymore. 

Way to go!  I didn't consider using a spending spree as leverage to motivate your ex to get you off the card. 

[sapphire12]

All's well for MPL again. The less than 100% for on-time payments would annoy me to no end as well.

[motherto2]

I'm surprised they wouldn't let you take yourself off as an authorized user. Almost 5 years ago I received a letter from BOA saying because they care so much about their customers, they were closing my HELOC to keep me from possible financial ruin (my sarcastic words, but they did close the line). At first I was a little peeved that they were making the decision for me, even though I was getting ready to pay the last couple hundred dollars on it and I was going to close it myself. Until I got to the middle of page 2, where there was some verbage that this decision might have been based on some negative credit information, which really fired me up. I started looking into it, called them to ask what they were talking about, and found out the ex had me as an authorized user on a cc I didn't even know existed. He had over spent on the ceiling and hadn't made a payment for almost 5 months! It was a BOA cc. I knew I wasn't being the most pleasant person when I was on the phone and profusely apologized to the lady and told her I was just upset and didn't want her to think I was mad at her. She then told me that as soon as I told her I wanted my name removed, she would remove it. They had just posted their credit information, but that it would be reflected on the next credit posting. I told her I wanted to be removed from the account, and it was removed from my credit report the following month. It's never appeared since then. Maybe I was just lucky, but I sure did dodge a big bullet!