Additional credit cards issued without notice?

[SeattleBlues]

Facts:

My wife agreed to co-sign for one credit card for her sister with a credit limit of $10,000. Without our knowledge or consent (or notification from the credit card company), the credit card company processed applications for two additional credit cards for my wife's sister for a total of $30,000 more debt. All of the cards were opened online and there is no paper trail (or we haven't asked the right questions of them)

Frankly - I see this as fraud on the part of my wife's sister. We have the money to settle this debt and try to work with her on a repayment plan - but I'd like to understand what legal recourse we have for the two additional cards that were opened without our consent.

What questions, documentation should I request from the credit card company to understand how this happened?

 

[SeattleBlues]

Maybe I can simplify my request and someone can offer some advice. My sister-in-law "claims" that she received additional card offers that didn't make it clear that my wife would be the primary card holder.

1. What documentation related to the opening of accounts do credit card companies keep and how do I request that documentation?
2. How could this happen without any notice being sent to the primary card holder (my wife) and how is this not negligence on the part of the credit card company?

The other possibility is identity theft where my sister-in-law used my wife's information to open the accounts. I assume that #1 above would help identify that.

Thanks!

 

[garykittrell68]

It appears to me that if your sister in-law opened those accounts without your wife's permission then she is guilty of ID theft....It's a serious crime and could land her in jail if you report it......It could even be prosecuted by the feds.....
Good luck
Gary