@Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering what criteria the CRA's use for populating someones credit reports in cases where accounts are listed as "joint" on them. I have a couple of instances where some medical CA's are being listed as "joint" even though I never signed any admission documents nor ever provided my SSN for any of them. It would seem that these accounts found their way onto my CR's by being linked to previous addresses or my married surname. I've been told by some friends and acquaintances that sometimes information finds its way onto a persons CR based solely on an address and name, and not linked to a persons SSN. Yet, when it comes time to pull a CR the CRA's ask for a SSN to base the CR on.
I guess my question is basically: Is there a chance that information could be listed under only my married name, and/or my maiden name as linked to my SSN, and how would I ever know if non-SSN linked information about me exists?
Well, that's not a split file. A split file is when part of your data is in one location, and part in another, and when a creditor pulls your report, not everything is there. (And scores fluctuate according to which portion is pulled.)
Look on your credit reports. They should list your current name AND any previous names. Same for addresses.
Yes, CRA's often post accounts strictly on name and address, without using a social, so it's very possible that these accounts are finding their way on your reports in this way.
As for whether you're possibly liable for some of these medical CA's, I think it depends on the laws of your state. Some consider medical debt contracted during a marriage to be joint debt. What state did you live in when you were divorced?
(And btw, I'm definitely not the legal expert in this area! 
)