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I was an authorized user many years ago on a family member's AMEX. My responsibility was terminated several years ago. AMEX only shows on 1 report as "relationship terminated" and nothing has been reported since 2008. I am even thinking that AMEX isn't even the AMEX that the bill collector is calling about, not sure.
Obviously this family member hasn't paid their card. I am guessing the bill collector googled my name (very uncommon name, easy to find my land line phone #.)
I have excellent credit. Nothing can show up on my report, right? Collections, etc? I know bill collectors will do whatever it takes to get the money.
Anyone have any similar experiences? I am in the clear, right? I have worked so hard to have good scores and I don't want it to go down the drain! Thanks for your advice!
What did they say when they called?
It is an express violation of the FDCPA for them to have informed you that the "family member" even owed a debt unless that family member is your spouse.
All they can do is to ask you if you are aware of the current location of the named person.
If they only asked for the permissible location information without any reference to a debt, I would assume they know that you are not responsible for the debt.
@RobertEG wrote:What did they say when they called?
It is an express violation of the FDCPA for them to have informed you that the "family member" even owed a debt unless that family member is your spouse.
All they can do is to ask you if you are aware of the current location of the named person.
If they only asked for the permissible location information without any reference to a debt, I would assume they know that you are not responsible for the debt.
Actually they didn't say anything about owing a debt. I googled the phone # and everyone said it was a bill collector for AMEX. I usually don't answer but I thought it was one of those "You have a problem with Windows" people because the caller ID said OPERATIONS DIV and that's what the caller ID said last time it was them. They keep calling every day so I felt like answering this time and telling them to stop calling and that my computer is fine and they are scammers (already did that once and it was fun).
They asked for _____ and I said, no he doesn't live here and if I knew how to get a hold of him. I said no of course. And then I told them this is a work # (I work from home). Then they asked if they were speaking to ____ (me) and I said yes. I don't know why I even said that. They caught me off guard because I thought it was the "Windows Support" people at first.
Anyway, I just wanted some reassurance from the experts on here. I have already blocked the # and some others I don't recognize. I have never dealt with a debt collector so I was just being paranoid that something like this could show up on MY credit report since I was on the card at one time. Sounds like I'm good and there's nothing to worry about!
I also get periodic calls from CAs for two of my relatives but no AU relationship with either.
You have to be specific and say 'do not call here again' and hope that takes care of it, without having to send it in writing. Some CAs are more stubborn than others, dont know if it has to do with the amount in question (I have no idea what it is), or they are just determined.
I also have a unique name with my father coming from an Eastern European country and then changing his name before being naturilized. The original name seems easier to pronounce and spell to me, but he and his brother wanted to have them changed.
hth