Estranged father takes $25,000 loans in his child’s name, tanks their credit, and leaves them facing lawsuits: ‘Turns out I wasn't the only person my dad hit with identity theft’

Author image for Etai Eshet
Etai Eshet • Editor
Mar 15, 2025 7:00 AM EDT

Nothing says "I love you" like a phone call from your estranged dad informing you he took out a massive loan in your name, tanked your credit, and is about to land you in court. Forget birthday cards or awkward holiday gatherings; apparently, the new way to connect with family is through identity theft and financial ruin. Move over Hallmark, there's a new card for every occasion.


Let's recap: a strained relationship, a shady confession about misusing your identity, a credit score plummeting faster than the stock market in 1929, and a lawsuit landing on your doorstep like an unwanted pizza delivery. If this sounds like the plot of a dark comedy, that's because it is—except there's a punching bag along the punchline. The punching bag is you and your financial stability is, you see where this is going.

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  • Some families live life like they’ve been cast in a never-ending TV drama, complete with plot twists nobody could possibly predict. First, there’s the surprise betrayal—a loan mysteriously tied to one family member’s name. Then, just when you think that storyline is wrapping up, another twist drops. It’s like the writers got bored and decided to throw every idea they had onto the script.


    But it doesn’t stop there. Oh no—this drama has layers. Just when one family member digs themselves out of the mess, the story expands. Another name surfaces. Another lawsuit appears. At this point, this “show” feels less like a family narrative and more like a low-budget thriller with an endless budget.

  • "Dad got a loan for $25,000 in my name and now can't make the payments anymore. I had no idea he did it and he's missed several payments. I'm about to buy a house, I'm mad, confused and scared"

    SOLD SHES "My mom and my sister also had loans taken out in their names"
    via Mikhail Nilov

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Some families get feel-good sitcoms. Others get soap operas that never end. This one? They’re just hoping the writers run out of ideas soon.

  • My dad called me on Friday, which was weird because we really only talk around Christmas due to his do ic vince issues when I was a child. He told me last year he took out a $25,000 loan in my name. He said
    via dadidthief-ta
  • he needed it to pay off his credit cards but he's ran them back up again. He said he wanted to at least give me a heads up as I was probably going to be sued by the
    via dadidthief-ta

  • Dad is that you?

    Cheezburger Image 10478913280
    via mokee81

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • loan company because he can no longer make the payments. He never apologized for taking the loan out in my name and he told me to say that I was hacked.
    via dadidthief-ta
  • I felt sick to my stomach. When I checked my credit I saw my credit score tanked by probably 250 points from where it was last July. 5 MISSED PAYMENTS, a loan that I owe about $24,000 on and I just broke down crying. This has never
    via dadidthief-ta
  • happened to me before. My mom and sister are both out of the country until the start of next week and I'm lost. I can pay off the loan in cash but I don't feel like I should have to as I never took it out.
    via dadidthief-ta
  • Inthewind69 Sadly you have to go to the police. You need to protect yourself from any lawsuit coming. Whatever happens to your Dad for being a ( ) isn't your fault. If he gets charged and go's to
    via Inthewind69
  • jail. Its the old saying " You do the crime, you do the time.". Sadly I don't think you will be buying any house until this gets cleared up.
    via Inthewind69
  • CCCC E 1000 2000 DOOD WOOD CCSS
    via roberthyrons

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • ji99901 Your dad is a criminal. Call the police.
    via ji99901
  • I-will-judge-YOU Paying off the loan is actually not going to fix your credit. You need to file a police report. Or do you need to accept the bad credit and pay the debt?It's one of those two things.
    via I-will-judge-YOU
  • You cannot claim fraud and not tell them it was your father because it's going to go to an address that is linked to you so it will be assumed that you're debt unless you tell them it was a family member.
    via I-will-judge-YOU
  • Your choices are to file a place report on your dad. Or accept the debt and pay it, but that will not overall fix your credit score. That's it those are your two options.
    via I-will-judge-YOU
  • Christmas came and went and I did not speak to him this year. A couple of days after my op I made a report to the police. They said this happens a lot and they gave me a form to fill out. I
    via dadidthief-ta
  • received a case number and disputed the account with the credit companies. Maybe 2 weeks after I did that, a guy showed up at my house and served me with a lawsuit.
    via dadidthief-ta
  • The weird thing was the account dropped off of my credit completely and my credit score shot up back to where it was. Even so, I feel like the company that gave the loan was trying to
    via dadidthief-ta
  • get a judgement against me, probably hoping I wouldn't show up to court. I ended up filling out a FOIA request for the actual police report. When the court
    via dadidthief-ta
  • date came, their lawyer offered to settle for $15,000. I gave them the police report and they were actually way more cool about it than I expected. He said he'd send it to the company and request a continuance, but that I should show up to the continuance date.
    via dadidthief-ta
  • The 2nd court date was last week and the lawyer wasn't even there. Apparently shortly after the first court date, he filed a motion to dismiss.
    via dadidthief-ta
  • As far as I know, this is over with, but it still shows I've been sued in a public records search. Is there any way to get that removed?
    via dadidthief-ta
  • I'm also in closing for a house! | really appreciate everyone for their advice, you've all saved me from a lot of debt and years of ruined credit.
    via dadidthief-ta
  • QueenSema That's bonkers they filed a lawsuit against you and you were the victim of identity theft
    via QueenSema
  • Who_Your_Mommy You need to report it immediately or he'll f the rest of your life(y'know, the parts he hasn't already).
    via Who_Your_Mommy
  • YoshiandAims Wonderful update! Thankyou! I wondered how you were!
    via YoshiandAims
  • I haven't heard any more about a lawsuit, it's been dismissed and I doubt it's coming back! Even more exciting - I bought my first house! I'm extremely happy with
    via dadidthief-ta
  • it and my credit score barely took a hit from it. I assume it will be back to normal with a couple months of payments.
    via dadidthief-ta
  • However, it turns out I wasn't the only person my dad hit with identity theft. My mom and my sister both had their identities stolen and loans taken out in
    via dadidthief-ta
  • their names. The loans looked like they were taken out just after my dad told me about the loan he took out in my name.
    via dadidthief-ta
  • They both found out about the loans the same way - with a lawsuit. My mom's has already been dismissed and my sister's I think is in the process of being dismissed, but online court records aren't available for hers.
    via dadidthief-ta
  • My dad has also moved from where he used to live. I know what state he's in but not exactly where. He also has a new phone number, big surprise.
    via dadidthief-ta
  • We don't know for sure that he opened the new loans, but it seems pretty obvious.
    via dadidthief-ta
  • wlfwrtr Everyone needs to lock their credit and social security numbers or he's going to try it again.
    via wlfwrtr
  • No-Drink8004 I can't believe so many parents are doing this to their own children. It's so sad. You may have to report him to get it off your credit.
    via No-Drink8004
  • WholeAd2742 Don't worry about the lawsuit, it was dismissed and if it ever comes up, you have documents why it was a credit fraud issue S ks about the rest of your family. Definitely monitor your credit reports
    via WholeAd2742
  • Mr-Felix-Dzerzhinsky He needs an appointment with justice.
    via Mr-Felix-Dzerzhinsky

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