Added as authorized user without permission... can I dispute?

[Anonymous]

A family member added me as an authorized user on a Home Depot charge card, which currently has a high balance. I did not want to be added as an authorized user for obvious reasons. This just showed up in my new report on Transunion and Experian. Is there any way I can dispute this? I never requested to be added to the account, I do not want to be associated with this account, and I'm absolutely irate that this was allowed and reported on my credit. Is authorized user the same as joint account holder? If I'm just an authorized user, will my credit be affected for a high balance? 

[fltireguy]

Just dispute it as "not my account"

If it is carrying high util, it probably WILL affect your scores.

A AU is not the same as a joint account holder - you have no responsibility to pay

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

A family member added me as an authorized user on a Home Depot charge card, which currently has a high balance. I did not want to be added as an authorized user for obvious reasons. This just showed up in my new report on Transunion and Experian. Is there any way I can dispute this? I never requested to be added to the account, I do not want to be associated with this account, and I'm absolutely irate that this was allowed and reported on my credit. Is authorized user the same as joint account holder? If I'm just an authorized user, will my credit be affected for a high balance? 

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Sorry to hear of this.  First you need to deal with your family member and ask them to immediately remove you as an authorized user.  You can file disputes with the credit reporting agencies but they may or not remove you as an AU until your family member does first.  Being an AU is not the same as a joint account holder because you are not legally responsible for the debt whereas a joint account holder would be.  However, any balance (if the card is a revolving credit line and not a true charge card) and associated credit history will be considered in your credit scores.  If that’s the case your scores could be affected by the high balance if it significantly affects your overall credit utilization.  Good luck in getting this resolved. 

[SOGGIE]

You also have the option of notifying Citibank of your removal request in writing via USPS Certified Mail with signature confirmation. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I called the Home Depot credit customer service department and had myself removed from the account. They made a note "did not give permission to become authorized user" or something along those lines. When I had fraud on one of my cards, the original account was closed and a new card was issued. On my report, I can see it noted as "fraud, new card issued." Will the bureaus also see the note on the Home Depot account and remove it from my report? It only just reported, but I'm trying to solve this before it becomes permanent. 

[tcbofade]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I called the Home Depot credit customer service department and had myself removed from the account. They made a note "did not give permission to become authorized user" or something along those lines. When I had fraud on one of my cards, the original account was closed and a new card was issued. On my report, I can see it noted as "fraud, new card issued." Will the bureaus also see the note on the Home Depot account and remove it from my report? It only just reported, but I'm trying to solve this before it becomes permanent. 

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Breathe.

It will disappear entirely.

With or without help from legal, you DO need to have a chat with the family member and make certain that you are clear... you do not wish to be an AU on any accounts.

They may have thought that they were doing you a favor...

[Anonymous]

So the family member did this to hurt you purposefully or was he/she trying to help you but did not know the ramifications of high UTI?

[DaveInAZ]

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@tcbofade wrote:

Breathe.

It will disappear entirely.

With or without help from legal, you DO need to have a chat with the family member and make certain that you are clear... you do not wish to be an AU on any accounts.

They may have thought that they were doing you a favor...

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If they thought they were doing sstr0129 a favor they would have ordered an extra card for them and said "happy shopping!". Instead sstr0129 didn't find out until they saw it on their credit report. I suspect doing a favor was not the motivation.

[Anonymous]

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@DaveInAZ wrote:

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@tcbofade wrote:

Breathe.

It will disappear entirely.

With or without help from legal, you DO need to have a chat with the family member and make certain that you are clear... you do not wish to be an AU on any accounts.

They may have thought that they were doing you a favor...

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If they thought they were doing sstr0129 a favor they would have ordered an extra card for them and said "happy shopping!". Instead sstr0129 didn't find out until they saw it on their credit report. I don't think doing a favor was the motivation.

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Exactly DaveInAZ. Home Depot did say an extra card was ordered, but sent to their address. We don't live in the same state, and I probably wouldn't have known about this had I not seen it on my monthly credit report. I'm not sure what the motivation was... probably was on the phone with Home Depot customer support, was offered to add an authorized user, and without thinking, gave my name, DOB, and social. Pretty scary information to give out without thinking or notifying me. It's very disturbing and feels like a violation. I've worked incredibly hard on maintaining my credit, and the fact that someone was allowed to do this without my prior consent/communication seems SO egrigious. 

[Anonymous]

I have had this happen. I was added as an AU on my husbands card with out my consent. And he runs high usage through it so my scores are always effected by it. We argued over it and I decided not to remove myself as a AU but now have to keep my own cards at a very low balance just to keep my over all usage down. He always has 50 to 65 percent charged on it. It is not a card I have ever used. And he uses it to purchase things for his hobby. If it had charges on it that helped the house hold I would not be as upset over it as I am. But I get nothign out of it and 99 percent of the time niether does the household. I just get a ding to my score for high usage. 

I think it should be illegal to add people to cards. Period. And if one has to be added as an AU there should be more steps and verification involved showing the person wishes to be on that card account. Married or not! I think this should go for joint cards too. 

I realize people use AU to help establish credit but I think both parties need to discuss it before any action is taken.