Family drama is hard to navigate. However, when that drama stems from finances being skewed in a way that makes someone’s life harder, it can create situations where resolution feels impossible. This seems to be the case for one person who discovered her family had been using her Social Security Number to secure loans since she was just 12 years old.

Choosing to remain anonymous, she shared her story in a detailed Reddit post, seeking both financial and family advice. Her financial troubles began early on—with charges like “Cable in 2014, a furniture store card in 2016, a cell family plan when I was 18,” as she described it. Yet, she only realized the full extent of the damage once she started college.

She explained that the first real wake-up call came when she tried to get a credit card and was told by the bank that her credit utilization rate was already at 89%, despite never having owned a card personally. Over the years, her parents had been jeopardizing her financial future by using her Social Security Number for various accounts.

The first time she ever signed any document was back in middle school, when her mother handed her an internet bill to sign while she was doing homework, claiming it would “build” her credit. From then on, her SSN was used repeatedly without her full understanding, and now she is even considering reporting her parents to the police for credit card fraud.

Upon checking her credit reports, she found seven accounts tied to her Social Security Number. Two of these accounts were paid off, two were in collections, and three remained active. She is now exploring creative ways to clean up her credit as quickly as possible.

In an effort to keep the peace, she had resisted confronting her parents—until recently. The breaking point came when her parents asked her to co-sign on their mortgage refinance, framing the house as their “family legacy.” This time, she stood her ground and sent them her credit report, pointing out that they had put her $9,780 in debt.

Her parents reportedly argued back, claiming they had spent $12,000 raising her. Meanwhile, her younger brother, who still lives with them, suggested she just sign the documents and “look into it later.” She advised him to check his own credit report as well.

As it stands now, she has filed fraud alerts and is seeing a therapist to help set healthy boundaries. Still, in the interest of keeping her family together, she is considering mediation with her parents. She also mentioned that from this point forward, she is keeping detailed records in case the situation escalates legally.

This story serves as a cautionary tale about the long-term consequences of financial manipulation within families—and the importance of monitoring your credit regularly, no matter your age.
https://wegotthiscovered.com/fyi/parents-used-daughters-credit-since-she-was-12-then-asked-her-to-co-sign-their-mortgage-she-sent-them-a-bill-instead/