If Someone Uses A Joint Account Credit Card & Pays it Can They Be Arrested/Prosecuted??

Question

I 'm asking cuz a friend (over 18) has a joint credit card with her mom (cuz after she got laid off, she needed to rebuild her credit history). Anyway, she never used the card, except this once &she only did it cuz she didn’t have the cash on her at the time. But before she could mail in the payment, her parents saw the transaction history online & confronted her, threatening to send her to jail for using “their” card. So in the heat of the moment, she got scared & lied & said she never used it, that she didn’t even have the card anymore. She's sent in the full payment, but she can’t tell that to her parents (since she denied using the card)
The facts are this:
1.) The credit card was/is a joint account, with 2 cards. 1 card is in the name of my friend, the other card is in the name of her mom
2.) She’s made full payment for the item purchased
If the parents report the card as stolen/misused, can my friend be arrested and/or prosecuted for credit card fraud or theft??

I think there is a little misunderstanding here.

There is no balance on this card because my friend has already sent in FULL payment for her portion

Secondly, the card is a joint account with her mom. There is no primary cardholder. It is a joint account, NOT a primary account with my friend as an additional cardholder

The two cardholders on the account are my mom and her friend.

Most importantly, she SENT IN FULL PAYMENT for what she charged.

Answer 1

Because her name is on the account as a joint account holder/authorized uesr, she cannot go to jail for using the card. She also paid the balance in full, so there will be no problems with default. It would be in her best interest to close this account if her parents are that controlling, and obtain an account in her name only.

Answer 2

If the card was a joint account, then the parents are the ones that need the lesson. No your friend can not be arrested, however the item that they purchased will have to be returned or paid by other means. A joint account means that either party may use that account without permission from the other card holder. It is a risky venture to have a joint account with someone. But if you can't trust your own parents.
Tell your friend to come clean. Tell the parents, yes I used the card. I'm sorry I lied, but it is a joint account and I only used it once. If you can't handle the fact of a joint account card, then stick it up yours!

Answer 3

Do both. You are better off paying off the card first. If an emergency comes along before you have savings at least you have the card to use. At the same time, you aren't continually shelling out for interest every month. It doesn't hurt to save $25-50 a month if you can swing it while paying off the credit card. It's not much, but it amounts to more than $500 in a year.

Answer 4

I don't think the parents could have prosecuted...they are the primary cardholders therefore they gave permission to the credit card company to issue the second card. The parents would be responsible of the charges as far as I know.

Answer 5

Your friend can't be prosecuted. It's a joint acct. therefore the primary (her mother) and secondary (your friend) are equally responsible for the acct. Her mother can do 1 of 2 things - 1)cancel the acct. thereby forcing your friend to get her own card or 2) have a non responsible letter sent and sign it along with your friend stating that your friend will take over the acct. thereby relieving her mother of any financial responsibility. Oh and if her father isn't on the acct. he doesn't have a right to say anything.

Answer 6

Well, since it was a joint account I don't think she can go to jail. And the credit card companies don't care if children lie to their parents or not. They care about their cards and their money and the vendors. Not really about personal family issues...

With that in mind, really YOUR friend should tell them that she lied about the card because she got scared from her parents. That basically they scared her and she felt that she had to lie because THEY got mad at her......and apologize to them

I think she'll be surprised as to their response. It shouldn't be that bad. Unless of course the money she spent was for something illegal or something she seriously didn't want her parents to find out about.....GL

Answer 7

Why would she lie about using the card if she needed to and was repaying it? Being a joint card, she didn't steal the card or forge anyone else's name so it's not illegal. Her Mom will probably (and should) cancel the card. I would... if my kid lied to me about not using it when the truth is they did. What she did was ethically wrong, not legally wrong. She should have asked up front or at least owned up to it ... and surely the Mom would have been okay with it.

Answer 8

If her name is on the account, she can't be arrested or prosecuted for using it. It's between her and her parents - if they had an agreement she wouldn't use it, then she's answerable to them, not to the legal authorities.

Answer 9

i think not as the account has her name on it as well, but she has to remember that, as her name is on the account and if her mother doesn't not pay she is liable for the payments, so to be on the safe side she should get her name removed from the account

Answer 10

if her name is on the account, then legally she can use it. maybe it was part of their personal deal to help her build her credit by adding her that she not use it. but if shes listed as an authorized user... then she has just as much right to use it as they do.