credit card fraud...?

[162162]

HELP... im stuck... my has been away for a while.... i found his credit cards in a wallet and used them... with all intention of paying the money back monthly and telling him. however during this time i g=found myself in a situation where i lost my job due to redundancy and used his cards to get by again without his permission or without telling him. He is still away and i have not made payments for a couple of months.... he had never missed a payment and had an excellent credit file..... i have ruined this. i came clean to him over the phone as he is still away and he hit the roof, as expected.... he has told me to call the credit card companies and tell them what i have done. what will happen to me if i did this i understand what i did was wrong, my partner has said that he will not press charges against me, i should have aksed him. i have no previous and if i admit my crime to the companies what will happen..... will i go jail? get a record ?..... i just want to put right what should not have gone wrong..... help

[Ethel]

Firstly the credit card companies will not deal with you regarding your partner's cards - he will have to phone them himself , because of the Data Protection Act.

He would be responsible, not you. He is obligated by the terms of his card accounts to keep his PIN number secret and his cards safe.

However, you have committed fraud. It is not for your partner to decide whether or not charges should be brought against you, that is a matter for the card companies. It is highly unlikely they will if your partner comes to an agreement to repay the monies and sticks to it.

It is up to you and your partner to come to an agreement as to how you should repay him.

[162162]

hi thaks for the answer..... he does not want to come to an agreement. he will call them and give them my details.... he is more concerned with the credit rating effect on him..... and obviously he did not give me the cards or the pins i took them without his knowledge, so i suppose i stole them ?...

[Ethel]

I don't know what he is hoping to achieve. The cc company will view him as liable as he did not protect his card and PIN - it will be in the small print of his terms and conditions.

There is no way the company will write the debt off - that would be a great scam between couples or friends, wouldn't it?

If the cc company want to bring criminal proceedings against you your partner will have no say in the matter whatsoever - that will be for them to decide.

Yes, you did steal the cards and you may be prosecuted. It will be in both your interests to pay the debt back.

[kempie]

I presume it is most difficult to ensure the security of one's credit cards when one is ensconced in HMP.

[162162]

the debt is being paid back at the moment..... by me. thanks for all you help..... i cant sleep with this on my mind and thought i should come clean to the cc companies, about whats happened.

And Kempie...... thanks for your note also. you are right its hard for him to keep secure his belongings when he is in prison. But its because i dont want to end up there that i wanted the advise of what to do, and come clean......

thanks guys....

[Ethel]

This puts a different complexion on things - I didn't realise 'away' meant prison.

He is obviously not in any position to make any payments on his cards, even for the debts that he ran up himself.

I have no idea of prison and the effects on prisoner families, but is it possible for you to get authority to deal with his credit cards by way of written authority from him? Get advice from the prisoner family support group in your area.

[162162]

hi ethel... i thank you for your help. I have written authority from him and do conduct his accounts. He did not run up any of the debt himself..... it was all me trying to support him and our family whilst he is in prison, everything was ok until i lost my job. also when i have told him he has hit the roof as i lied to him, i should have asked him. the only way to repair the damage i have done to his credit file is to admit my fraud, as thatis what it is. he did not even know that i knew the pins to the cards. that is why i asked the original question of what the outcome would be for me police wise if i admit to the credit card companies what i have done.... stole money off his cards...

[Ethel]

As you have authority to deal with his cards it could be that you are in fact an authorised user - it is doubtful, but it is impossible to know.

Phone the credit card company now and ask them how you should proceed. It is absolutely pointless you suffering sleepless night and stress - get it sorted now, it may not be as bad as you think.

[162162]

thank you ethel.... you have been a great support. i will keep you informed. :)