17 year old with credit card debt. Please Help!

[Doobi3]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Ga

So I have a $900 debt with capital one. I was 16 when I got the credit card. Ill be 18 in May. The collection agency has been calling me saying, "They're going to file a lawsuit against me if I don't pay it." I told them Im 17. Then they said, "The contract says your 19. And your are responsible for the debt." Any advice?
Is there anything I can do?

Thanks for any help.

[Antigone*of*Greece]

Originally Posted by Doobi3

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Ga

So I have a $900 debt with capital one. I was 16 when I got the credit card. Ill be 18 in May. The collection agency has been calling me saying, "They're going to file a lawsuit against me if I don't pay it." I told them Im 17. Then they said, "The contract says your 19. And your are responsible for the debt." Any advice?
Is there anything I can do?

Thanks for any help.

So you lied about your age to get this credit card? I highly doubt they can come after you for the credit card debt because legally you cannot enter into a contractural agreement until you are 18; but...here comes the big but. They can certainly go after you for fraud if you in fact did lie about your age on your application.

Wow, what a way to start out your adult life.

[Doobi3]

The credit card showed up in the mail. And I decided to use it. I couldn't afford the monthly payment, so I stopped paying it. The collections wont stop calling me now. Its even on a credit report I filed for. I wanted to know how I would go about handling this.

[Antigone*of*Greece]

Originally Posted by Doobi3

The credit card showed up in the mail. And I decided to use it. I couldn't afford the monthly payment, so I stopped paying it. The collections wont stop calling me now. Its even on a credit report I filed for. I wanted to know how I would go about handling this.

1) Go to each of the three credit bureaus (an easy and free way is AnnualCreditReport.com)
2) Find the debts you incurred as a minor.
3) Each debt should have a dispute option next to it.
4) Follow that and say your reason for disputing is that you were a minor.
5) Do this for each bureau (TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax).

You should receive notice after about 30 days informing you of the results

[Doobi3]

It says I have to be 18. And if Im under 18, I have no credit report.

[Antigone*of*Greece]

Originally Posted by Doobi3

It says I have to be 18. And if Im under 18, I have no credit report.

Ooopsss that's rigtht. I'm sorry I forgot about the minor detail. Well, I guess you'll have to wait until May to get crackalakin huh???

[Doobi3]

What can I do as far as the collection agency goes?

[Antigone*of*Greece]

Originally Posted by Doobi3

What can I do as far as the collection agency goes?

Wait and hope they don't file criminal fraud charges against you.

[Country Living]

Originally Posted by Doobi3

Is there anything I can do?

Mow lawns, babysit, flip hamburgers, bake pizza, do odd-jobs for neighbors, sell the things you bought with the money, borrow from your parents (be sure you pay them back!), stock groceries. There are lots of jobs for under-18.

The credit card company loaned you money in good faith (I noticed you didn't respond to Wirelessany1's statement about lying about your age on the application). Now it's time to grow up and learn about responsibility and accountability and taking care of your obligations.

You are at the first financial cross-roads in your life. There is a right thing to do here and that's to live up to your end of the financial obligation.

[Stevef]

Originally Posted by Doobi3

The credit card showed up in the mail.

Originally Posted by Doobi3

It says I have to be 18. And if Im under 18, I have no credit report.

Originally Posted by Doobi3

Its even on a credit report I filed for.

Something doesn't add up.

[LeeHarveyBlotto]

Seems to me that there's an obvious answer to "what do I do".

[ecmst12]

You know, it's kind of a shame. If you'd used the card responsibly, and paid it responsibly, you could be way ahead of most people your age in building a positive credit history. $900 is a pretty low limit, making at least minimum payments can't be too much. But now by continuing to ignore it, your bill is only going to rack up late charges and overlimit fees and the interest rate is going to skyrocket, and the balance will double or triple before you know it, and your credit history will be destroyed before it ever gets established. Hope you aren't going to want to try to finance a car purchase in a year or 2.