<prompt> Human: Im 26 and have recently found out that my mom used my SSN to open up credit lines in my name as well as borrow money. Shes been doing this since I was 18. I have accumulated at least 60,000 worth of debt that I know of. From what I learned, she took out loans using my credit to obtain money to save her house when it was going into foreclosure. Some accounts she actually paid off and others she let default. I now have a credit score of 480 and owe tens of thousands of dollars. I have NEVER felt more furioushelpless in my life. I confronted my mom about all of this and she broke down crying, begging me to forgive her. She never intended for things to get this bad. I dont know what to do or where to begin to get all of this fixed. My mom had a heart transplant back in August and has been in the hospital more than she has been at home. As angry as I am about my credit situation, its difficult to be mad at her when I see her at the hospital. Honestly she isnt doing too well, but thats another story.My question is... how do I get this fixed? Where do I begin? Many of these accounts were open 4-5 years ago. I have never had a reason to check my credit until recently when I was considering buying a new car, but thats out the door now.Assistant: There are only 4 roads. 1. Do nothing and let the creditors come after you. This is a mistake. 2. Arrange to pay off the balances. This is a mistake because it will take years, then, after suffering to pay them back, the derogatory information will remain for seven additional years. 3. Turn your mom in for fraud. This may or may not get the creditors off your back, but it will get mom in civil and criminal trouble which she deserves, but personally I dont think anyone would turn their mom in. 4. File chapter 7 BK if you qualify. See an attorney. Edit Oct 13 to show that a couple of respondents have reminded me that the statute of limitations is in play here because the original poster is 26th and this all started when he was 18. As long as a creditor has not received any payment in the time period specified as per the statute of limitations for his state, then the creditor is forever barred from suing. They can try to collect at least in the form of making phone calls and sending letters, but that can be easily stopped because federal law allows for what is called a cease and desist order to be written by the debtor and sent to the creditor wherein the debtor demands the creditor or collection agency cease and desist all contact, phone calls, and letters because the debt falls outside the statute of limitations. Any cease and desist letter should also include the phrase that by no means is the letter an acknowledgement of the validity of the debt in question. I also caution the original poster to not fall for the tricky schemes that some creditors use where they say they will work with you if you just make a small payment. If you make any sort of payment at all and you were outside the statute of limitations, the new payment will restart that statute timeframe and expose you to a lawsuit.Human: Apparently creditors have been coming after me but they would send letters to my moms address. I havent lived with her since I turned 18 and have never seen a collection letter. And yeah... despite this shit my mom has pulled, I just dont know about turning her in especially with her current health.  <response>: Think of it this way. You love your mom, and feel bad reporting it to the authorities if it could get her in trouble with the law. But she did a bad thing. And she did a bad thing to you. A thing that, depending on your income, could negatively effect the next 10-20 years of your life as you struggle to pay these debts off. You really want to put yourself through that? or report it so that you can hopefully get these debts off of your nameSSN. 