Woman Finds Out Husband Has Been Secretly Using Her Social Security, Transferring Money from Her Account

A woman says she’s “overwhelmed” and “scared” after discovering her husband has allegedly been using her Social Security number to apply for credit and open accounts without her knowledge.

In a post on Reddit, the 28-year-old wrote that she has been married to her 29-year-old husband for two years, and that they’ve been together for five. She claimed that throughout their relationship, he repeatedly used her Social Security number without her consent.

She said she realized something was wrong after mail started arriving at their home showing that hard credit checks had been run with multiple credit card companies in her name. According to her post, she was denied because her credit had been inactive for more than five years.

After the credit card applications didn’t go through, she wrote that he began using payment-plan services that she assumed wouldn’t require a Social Security number. Later, she learned accounts had been opened in her name anyway — and that they were affecting her credit.

She also described going through his phone and finding that several household bills were past due. The most alarming claim, she said, was that he opened a car financing plan in her name through his former workplace — without her being present during the paperwork.

According to her, the vehicle was brought to their home even though she never signed for it, because he was employed there at the time.

She added that she doesn’t have access to the accounts, meaning she can’t simply log in and make payments herself — her husband has to do it. She also wrote that the account became so delinquent that repossession was threatened, and that conversations about paying on time frequently turn into arguments.

The situation has left her feeling even more unsettled, she said, because her husband often threatens divorce over what he describes as “communication issues,” while she believes her financial security is being put at risk.

“I’ve been seriously considering divorce, but I don’t even know where to begin to get this situation under control,” she wrote, adding that she fears he could continue using her Social Security number if they separate. She also expressed concern about how she will repair her credit after what she says has already happened without her consent.

In another detail, she said her husband is listed on her bank account and “regularly transfers money from our account into his PayPal” without permission.

At the end of her post, she asked the Reddit community for advice on what to do next.

In the comments, multiple users urged her to speak with an attorney immediately. One person also suggested reporting the situation as identity theft so she can begin the process of restoring her credit.

The commenter advised her to close the current bank account and open a new one at a different bank, saying it’s important to cut off access to her funds. They also recommended placing a credit freeze with all three major credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — noting that freezes are free and can be done online. The commenter additionally encouraged her to prioritize her safety, warning that it can be hard to predict how someone may react once they realize their access to money has been restricted.