I don't care about the law, I want what I want NOW!

[Jammer]

I can't vouch for everybody, but when I worked for MajorBank I had two of these cases cross my desk during the time I was in loans and lines. Both cases were loans originated by a bank that my employer had overtaken. One was a line of credit, long since closed and written off as bad debt, and the other was a car loan that ended in repossession years prior. Since both people were very easily able to prove they were minors at the time of loan origination, we sent notice to the reporting agencies to remove the debts from their credit profiles.

Had something like that also when I worked for the bank of Us. Business card, they admitted to me that they had applied in their sons name, then figured we wouldn't check credit to change to their liability (17 yrs of tax liens? Ouch! No thank you.) Reported it, then saw it go into bad debt when they found out they couldn't get around that.

[Alpha Strike]

....
I even explained this to one particular customer, about how it was the law and I would get fired for breaking it, and he said "I don't care. That's your problem, not mine."

Seems like this customer got it wrong - it apparently was his problem, since I imagine he wasn't going to get his beer/cigs/whatever.

[mathnerd]

I did see things like this a few times at MajorBank. Unless certain conditions were met (defaulted loan past a certain age and under a certain amount), we'd have to file a fraud complaint. This means, if the amounts are high enough, we'd contact local law enforcement (I never envied our people in fraud). It's shocking how many people would get cold feet when it boiled down to possibly sending their parent/spouse/child to jail.

[erik316wttn]

Strange law, but then it takes time for the law to catch up to the ever changing technology. Bet the original law was in place before internet and phone services came over cable.

Still the law is the LAW! Change it don't break it.

When I worked at the Super Wal-'Mart, I had many people get mad at me because they didn't have their ID on them and they were under the age of 27. State law requires anyone under the age of 27 to be carded. No ID, no alcohol, period.

I even explained this to one particular customer, about how it was the law and I would get fired for breaking it, and he said "I don't care. That's your problem, not mine."

[mathnerd]

I wonder if the credit agencies would care if the now-grown-up kid could prove that he/she was too young to have signed up for cable or whatever at the time...

I can't vouch for everybody, but when I worked for MajorBank I had two of these cases cross my desk during the time I was in loans and lines. Both cases were loans originated by a bank that my employer had overtaken. One was a line of credit, long since closed and written off as bad debt, and the other was a car loan that ended in repossession years prior. Since both people were very easily able to prove they were minors at the time of loan origination, we sent notice to the reporting agencies to remove the debts from their credit profiles.

[MoonCat]

Some people go even farther than that, and put it in their kids' names. Then their kids grow up and find out their credit is fucked because of some debt they didn't even know they had.

I wonder if the credit agencies would care if the now-grown-up kid could prove that he/she was too young to have signed up for cable or whatever at the time...

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Some people go even farther than that, and put it in their kids' names. Then their kids grow up and find out their credit is fucked because of some debt they didn't even know they had.

Ran into a similar situation with some not so savory neighbors who'd moved into the house next door a little over 20 years ago (Mom's last ex was still with us and he left in '93, so this was around '91 or '92.)

I've probably mentioned this rowdy group before - single mom working nights at a local hospital, two grown daughters each with a small boy around the same age (these sisters would get into loud physical arguments for the entire neighborhood to see about who was better at scoring drugs!) One of the girls had a live-in b/f who worked security at the county courthouse living with them as well - not only did she have a son by some other dude (a former pimp was the rumor) but she'd had a baby girl with this guy (the live in one.)

They'd lost their home phone service and were using ours for necessary calls (doctor's appointments, preschool, et al) which we didn't mind at the time.

But then one day, I was home from work when someone called from Cable Company (they also had Cable Company service just like we did) but instead of me (bill at our house was in my name at the time) the rep asked for "Gladys" (not child's real name) Neighbor'slastname.

I told them they must mean "Glenda", Gladys' mother. The rep insisted she was looking for Gladys. So I told her that would take a bit of time - Gladys was only 6 months old and it'd be awhile before she was able to talk.

The rep thanked me and hung up. The neighbors didn't have their cable long after that.

Wasn't too much longer after Mom put an end to their using our phone as well - especially after a visit from two local police detectives investigating a vehicle break in not far from local big hospital. They traced phone numbers from the missing mobile phone and ours had shown up. We sent them to talk to the neighbors - both sisters came over and wouldn't answer the detectives' questions and moseyed back to their house. Mom took the phone off the front porch and put it inside the house and ended loaning the phone out.

They didn't stay next door too long after that either.

[Marmalady]

I'm generally a very nice person, but mess with my kids and you'll wish you got mauled by a herd of crocodiles instead.

Darn right!

As I say - Mess with me, I'll wait for karma to get you. Mess with my boy and you'll find that I am karma.

[mathnerd]

I like you! I love your mean Streak!!!

I'm generally a very nice person, but mess with my kids and you'll wish you got mauled by a herd of crocodiles instead.

[blondescales]

The only reason my brother escaped prosecution for using my name and SS# to get utilities when he lived in the neighboring state is that by the time I discovered it he had moved out of that state and the amount was too small to warrant extradition. Had he still lived there I would have pressed charges. He claims he had a roommate that was not on the lease who did it (yeah, right...). I still have a copy of the police report I filed if I ever need it though.

[Teskeria]

But vindictive ex-wives do when they find their exes have been using their kids' names to run up bad debt.

I have a tiny bit of a mean streak.

I like you! I love your mean Streak!!!

[mathnerd]

What's sad is most kids don't report their parents when they find out about the bad debts.

But vindictive ex-wives do when they find their exes have been using their kids' names to run up bad debt.

I have a tiny bit of a mean streak.

[Aethian]

What's sad is most kids don't report their parents when they find out about the bad debts.

[MadMike]

"Main" account would run up a huge debt, so another member of the household would open an account in their name.. and repeat until they'd cycled through all the adults in the household.

Some people go even farther than that, and put it in their kids' names. Then their kids grow up and find out their credit is fucked because of some debt they didn't even know they had.

The lady that lived upstairs from me in my old apartment had her electricity in her daughter's name. I found out when some of her mail was put into my box by mistake. She told me she had to do it that way, because her ex-husband had ruined her credit. I'm not sure what to think about that, but I'm hoping she was actually paying the bill and not letting her daughter's credit get ruined.

[Argus]

I was reminded of the Tessalecta: "You will experience a tingling sensation and then death."