My Company's Credit Card Is Showing Up On My Credit Report

Summary

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The Ramsey Show Highlights

Episode: My Company's Credit Card Is Showing Up On My Credit Report
Date: September 11, 2025
Host: Ramsey Network Experts
Main Speaker: Credit Card Expert
Caller: Secretary at Accounting Firm
Guest/Colleague: Caller’s Friend

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Episode Overview

This episode addresses an alarming issue: a company-issued credit card displaying as a $17,000 debt on an employee’s personal credit report. The caller, who worked hard with her husband to become debt-free and secure mortgage approval, discovers her employer's business credit card is impacting her credit—despite being only an authorized user, not the primary account holder. The Ramsey team clarifies credit reporting, authorized user status, liability, and steps to protect one's financial standing.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Discovery of Debt on Personal Credit Report

• The caller recounts her journey to becoming debt-free and preparing for homeownership.
• Issue: During a routine mortgage application, a $17,000 debt appeared on her credit report—tied to her company’s credit card, which she uses for office expenses only.
  • Caller: “It never occurred to me that it would show on my personal report.” [00:42]

2. Liability and ‘Authorized User’ Status

• Expert Explanation:
  • Authorized users should not be legally liable for the debt.
  • Certain banks (notably, American Express) are more likely to report company cards to personal credit.
  • Credit Card Expert: “Authorized user … is not liable for the bill… it shouldn’t show up on your credit bureau.” [01:32]
• Misreporting Warning:
  • Some issuers improperly report company cards on personal reports, which can impact loan approvals and credit status.

3. Action Steps to Resolve the Issue

• Immediate advice: Have supervisor remove her name from the account or shut down the card, especially if she did not agree to personal liability.
  • Credit Card Expert: “I would just tell your boss… to shut it down. Shut down the account or shut your name down off the account.” [02:10]
• Alternative: If travel or purchases are required, insist on using a card not connected to her personal credit.

4. Systemic Problems & Risks

• Caller’s Friend: Points out that parents add kids as authorized users to build credit, which leverages the same flawed mechanisms.
• Credit Card Expert: Warns this is not legal or intended, yet frequently practiced by issuers.
  • “It’s not supposed to show up. It’s not legal, but they do it all the time.” [02:48]

5. Impact on Borrowing and Emotional Toll

• The surprise $17,000 debt on the report could have jeopardized mortgage approval and undermined the caller’s financial diligence.
  • Caller’s Friend: “How crazy is that? You’re out of debt… and you go to your credit union… and you’re like, sorry, you got $17,000.” [03:25]
• The segment underscores the importance of vigilance regarding credit reporting, especially with work-related or authorized user cards.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On discovering the debt:
  • Caller: “It never occurred to me that it would show on my personal report.” [00:42]
• On authorized user misreporting:
  • Credit Card Expert: “Authorized user is not liable for the bill… it shouldn’t show up on your credit bureau.” [01:32]
  • Credit Card Expert: “It’s not supposed to show up. It’s not legal, but they do it all the time.” [02:48]
• Advice for action:
  • Credit Card Expert: “I would just tell your boss… to shut it down. Shut down the account or shut your name down off the account.” [02:10]
  • Credit Card Expert: “If you want me to book your travel and stuff, you’re going to give me your card to do it. I’m not putting my name on it.” [02:18]
• Frustration at the system:
  • Credit Card Expert: “Your bank is a huckster. So your boss’s bank is a huckster. So you need to get away from this.” [01:37]
  • Credit Card Expert: “These companies, man. Snakes.” [03:43]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |---------------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:13 | Caller presents her dilemma about the company card debt | | 01:06 | Expert asks about Amex & explains risks of reporting | | 01:19 | Discussion on authorized user status and liability | | 02:10 | Expert offers step-by-step advice to remove her from account| | 02:40 | Caller’s friend compares to parents leveraging credit system| | 02:48 | Expert highlights widespread, improper credit reporting | | 03:27 | Recap of emotional and procedural stress for the caller | | 03:34 | Panel discusses consequences for loan approval | | 03:43 | Closing warning about banks and the credit system |

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Key Takeaways

• Authorized users should never see company card debt on personal reports.
• If this occurs, act swiftly: request removal from the account, and inform your supervisor.
• Some financial institutions routinely mishandle user reporting, potentially harming unknowing employees and families.
• Diligence in monitoring personal credit is essential, even for responsible, debt-free consumers.
• Leverage is not always on the cardholder’s side—be firm in demanding protections for your credit.

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For listeners:
If you discover unexpected debts on your credit report, especially from work-related credit cards, address it with your employer immediately and ensure your financial record remains accurate.

Transcript

[Credit Card Expert]

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[Caller/Client]

Ask about my company credit card. My husband and I have worked really hard to pay off all of our debt and we have our emergency fund saved and we've been also saving to buy our first house sometime in this year. We went to our local credit union to get approved and we did get approved for a loan, but the person that we spoke with there asked me about a $17,000 debt that was showing on my credit report and I realized it was for my company issued credit card. I'm a secretary at an accounting firm and I was given this card when I first started working here and I use it to book travel for employees, order office supplies, pay different company bills, but it never occurred to me that it would show on my personal report.

[Credit Card Expert]

So is it an American Express?

[Caller/Client]

No.

[Credit Card Expert]

Good. Okay. Because theirs are going to show on your report and they're going to try to hold you liable. So I would go to your supervisor and tell them you need this canceled immediately.

[Caller/Client]

Okay, this is ridiculous.

[Credit Card Expert]

It should not be on your report. Did you sign to be liable for this company?

[Caller/Client]

No. And from what I was reading, you know, we're a smaller company, so I'm like listed as an authorized user.

[Credit Card Expert]

Authorized user should not. Is not liable for the bill.

[Caller/Client]

Yeah. So that's why.

[Credit Card Expert]

So it shouldn't show up on your credit bureau. But your bank is a huckster. So your boss's bank is a huckster. So you need to get away from this.

[Caller/Client]

Okay. I was, yeah, I wasn't sure if I was getting the right information from the credit card or from the credit union person we talked to about the loan.

[Credit Card Expert]

Well, if it shows up on your credit bureau, it's not something they've taken your Social Security number and put you on the account somehow.

[Caller/Client]

Yeah, yeah, I'm an authorized user.

[Credit Card Expert]

I know authorized user is not liable, but that doesn't. Should not be reported. Sometimes they do that though. And so, yeah, you got to be really, really careful. And so I would just tell your boss just to, you know, to, to shut it down. Shut down the account or shut your name down off the account. I don't want to be on the account at all in any way. If you want me to book your travel and stuff, you're going to give me your card to do it. I'. Put, I'm not putting my name on it.

[Caller/Client]

Okay. Okay, well, I will do that. I appreciate it.

[Credit Card Expert]

I don't want to be liable for it, and I don't want it reported on my credit bureau. Yeah, I worked hard to get out of debt. Now I got a $17,000 debt that's yours on my credit report.

[Caller/Client's Friend]

That's what parents are starting to do with their kids, putting their kids as authorized users so that it builds their credit, which is that same whole same crap.

[Credit Card Expert]

And it's not supposed to show up. It's not legal, but they do it all the time. Because here's the thing. What is reported on your credit bureau report is what you owe. When you're an authorized user, you don't owe anything.

[Caller/Client's Friend]

Your name is just attached.

[Credit Card Expert]

It should not be on there.

[Caller/Client's Friend]

It's just that her name's attached to an account that does owe.

[Credit Card Expert]

Yeah, exactly. But it's the same thing as the kids. It's exactly why she's getting this. She's probably not liable on this account. They probably haven't screwed it up. But the best thing to do is just to get it out of her name completely, and then you don't have to worry about it.

[Caller/Client's Friend]

That's right.

[Credit Card Expert]

It's not going to show up anymore.

[Caller/Client's Friend]

How. How crazy is that? That you're like, we're out of debt.

[Caller/Client]

All this.

[Caller/Client's Friend]

And you go to your credit union.

[Credit Card Expert]

And you're like, I'm sorry, you got $17,000.

[Caller/Client's Friend]

What?

[Credit Card Expert]

We can prove the loan in spite of that. But.

[Caller/Client's Friend]

Yep.

[Credit Card Expert]

And he acts like she owes the money. See how that happened?

[Caller/Client's Friend]

Yeah.

[Credit Card Expert]

See how that looks? That's the purpose of a credit bureau report. But it's false, right?

[Caller/Client's Friend]

Right.

[Credit Card Expert]

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