grlnboots
06-19-2007, 09:03 PM
Help! I have a friend in Manchester New Hampshire. She was authorized by an elderly friend to sign on his credit card accounts as long as she paid the bill in regards to her charges. The banks even issued her cards in her name. It started out so she could buy him groceries etc...but then he complained about her couch and told her to buy one on the card. He allowed lunches etc... She has been paying on them, but the bills go to him because it is his account. He is in the hospital dying now and she just found out that for some reason Power of Attorney was activated years ago and he had no right to allow her to do this. They are trying to go after her for fraud. Even though she showed proof that she had been paying on the cards. They said Power of Attorney was activated and she has no leg to stand on. The banks won't switch the accounts over into her name or send the bills to her. She did not have any reason to believe there was a power of attorney activated on him, he seemed capable, and she helped to take care of him. He told her it was okay to help her since she took care of him. She had absolutly no intentions of fraud. She is one of those do for everybody, rarely do for yourself type person raising 2 teenagers, type woman, who insists on believing in the good of people. They interviewed her today and said she had to pay in full immediately and it still might be too late. She has nothing that can get her a loan. All she wants to do is pay as she has been and not go to jail for something she innocently got caught up in. Is this legitimate? Can a Power of Attorney be activated years ahead and get someone who is just being a friend and helping them and so they offered to help them back when they were in need in big trouble?