Legal Question in Credit and Debt Law in Maryland
Ex-wife forged name on credit card application
My husband's ex-wife opened a credit card with JCPenney in his name and listed herself as an authorized user. She did this in 1994. We discovered that she did this when a collection agent called us yesterday demanding payment. Apparently, she charged $651 in 1994. She never bothered to pay any of the bill and allowed it to go delinquent. My husband did not even know she opened this account. He asked the collection agent for proof that he did, in fact, sign an application for a JC Penney card, and then asked for a signature card as this delinquent account isn't on his credit report and he never opened such an account. How do we get a signature card to prove her forgery, and why isn't she liable if she used and opened the account fraudulently?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Ex-wife forged name on credit card application
The statute of limitations is usually 3 years for contracts, so the debt may not be owed by anyone at this point. Your husband should send his dispute to the collection agency in writing, preferably by return receipt certified mail.