Remove name from credit card

[Anonymous]

My wife opened a M/C with Chase and put my name as an additional card holder, for some reason chase keeps reporting me as a joint card on the account, after we separated I called chase asking them to remove my name and they said that they will not since I am jointly responsible for the account. I kept telling them that I did not sign or authorize to be a joint/secondary card holder but they keep claiming that I am. I sent a letter asking them for proof that I did sign and authorize to be a joint card holder, their response by mail was "Our records show that the application for credit was made via phone and not via mail. So we don't have a hard copy of the application. However, at the time of the application, you were listed as a secondary cardholder and not authorized user." How can I make them remove my name and how can they make that claim when they can not provide me with proof????

[athensguy]

You are going to have to claim identity theft if you don't want to pay off the balance and close the card.

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/consumers/defend.html

[Anonymous]

I would say that if they are claiming that the card was opened via phone, you have some pretty leverage there for having proof that you didn't authorize being a joint account holder.  I would send a copy of their letter to you along with a letter sent via Certified Mail Return Receipt stating that you did not authorize this account, you are prepared to file charges against them, yada, yada.  You may want to as around in the credit rebuilding section of the forum, those folks are on par with the laws and always have really great sample letters!

[FretlessMayhem]

You can call them and ask them to close the account. However, that closes it for both parties involved.

[Anonymous]

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FretlessMayhem wrote:
You can call them and ask them to close the account. However, that closes it for both parties involved.

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Well, heck, I would do that then.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for the replies, I will start with a certified letter and include a copy of their letter showing that it was opened by phone... Thank you for your help.

[Anonymous]

That is part of the problem, she doesn't want to close the account.

[athensguy]

If you are considered joint, it only takes one of you to close the account.

ETA: Closing the account is one of the first things you should do in an ID theft case.

Message Edited by athensguy on 08-11-2008 01:43 PM

[FretlessMayhem]

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@Anonymous wrote:
That is part of the problem, she doesn't want to close the account.

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But at the same time, you are jointly responsible for the debt should she run the card up and skip town on the bill.

[haulingthescoreup]

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@FretlessMayhem wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:
That is part of the problem, she doesn't want to close the account.

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But at the same time, you are jointly responsible for the debt should she run the card up and skip town on the bill.

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IF it was joint.

OP, have you pulled your credit report(s) to see how it's listed there? There will be a line that says something like "responsibility", and it should say either authorized or joint.

If it says joint, they either made an error when they took the app, or your ex told them to make you joint. Either way, I agree with the certified letter stating intent to sue. They need to prove that you applied jointly. GL