Summary5 min read

The Ramsey Show Highlights

Episode: "Your Husband Is Scum"
Date: September 16, 2025
Host: Dave Ramsey (with co-host)
Network: Ramsey Network

Episode Overview

In this highly charged episode, Dave Ramsey addresses a listener's distressing situation involving financial betrayal and identity theft within her family. The episode’s primary focus is on protecting children from identity theft by a parent, responding to an egregious act by a soon-to-be ex-husband, and outlining urgent legal and practical steps to safeguard children’s financial futures.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Listener's Situation: Identity Theft by a Parent

[00:06] Alexandria from Texas contacts the show about her husband taking out credit cards in their children's names, accruing debt, and draining his retirement account to pay it off.
He claims it's not possible to pull credit reports for their children, asking her to sign paperwork relieving him of responsibility.

2. Dave Ramsey’s Direct Response:

Name-calling, Moral Outrage, and Legal Advice
- Dave unequivocally condemns the husband’s actions, labeling them both illegal and immoral.
- Advises against signing any paperwork except that which would initiate criminal proceedings.
"Your husband is scum. Anybody that would soon to be screw his own kids over is scum... I mean, to start with, identity theft is illegal. It's criminal fraud. Okay, so your husband is a criminal. Oh, and who do you steal from? His children. What a jerk."
— Dave Ramsey [00:38]
Encouragement to Seek Legal Action:
- Strongly advises Alexandria to consult her lawyer and “send him back a little note that says lol. Got to be freaking kidding me.”
"No, I am not signing any paperwork. Except paperwork puts him in jail. That's. That's the paperwork we're signing on him."
— Dave Ramsey [00:38]

3. Clarifying Credit Reports for Minors

Mythbusting:
- Dave and his co-host clarify that it is absolutely possible to pull and freeze credit reports for minors.
"You can pull kids credit reports and you can freeze them. We know this because we did it when Rachel was a... When they first started allowing freezing, Rachel was still a minor. And all our children entered their adult life with a frozen credit report. Nothing had ever been on it. Nothing could get on it."
— Dave Ramsey [01:40]
Practical Steps:
- Both hosts emphasize the importance of freezing a child’s credit file to prevent identity theft, especially from an untrustworthy parent.
"And you need to freeze it because their father is scum. Okay, well, and that will keep him from... If they actually check the credit before they issue the credit card. They won't issue it if it's frozen. Next time he tries to do this. Because there will be a next time. This guy is a serious con artist."
— Dave Ramsey [02:03]

4. Trust, Verification, and Ongoing Risk

Distrust All Communication From the Offending Parent:
- Warns unequivocally against trusting anything the husband says.
"Anything this guy says is not true. If his mouth is moving, he's lying. This is a guy who would steal his own children's identity for his own personal benefit. So nothing that comes out of his mouth can be trusted. So the only thing that can be trusted are the actual facts and the behavior... I have done it."
— Dave Ramsey [02:26]
Verify Claims by Checking Credit Reports:
- Encourages the listener to check the actual credit reports to confirm the status and see what, if anything, has been paid off.
"I mean, if he says he paid it off, who knows, you know? So I would pull those credit reports to see what the status is."
— Co-host [03:02]

5. Escalating to Law Enforcement

File Criminal Charges:
- Strong advice to treat this situation as criminal identity theft and pursue charges with police involvement.
"I would file criminal on him. I'd have the police, I'd set him up, say, hey, somebody stole my kids, stole my kid's identity. Oh, it was him. Absolutely. And then let him figure that one out. Definitely so. Because I don't want this guy near them again. This is unbelievable."
— Dave Ramsey [03:09]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

"No, I am not signing any paperwork. Except paperwork puts him in jail." — Dave Ramsey [00:38]
"If his mouth is moving, he's lying." — Dave Ramsey [02:26]
"You can pull kids credit reports and you can freeze them. We know this because we did it." — Dave Ramsey [01:40]

Timestamps of Key Segments

[00:06] — Listener Alexandria describes the situation: divorce, kids’ identity theft, husband’s deception.
[00:38] — Dave Ramsey’s condemnation and initial advice: “Your husband is scum.”
[01:40] — Explanation of pulling/freezing credit reports for minors, with personal anecdote.
[02:26] — Dave warns to distrust every claim from the offending parent.
[03:09] — Advice to pursue criminal charges against the husband.

Tone & Language

Dave Ramsey is unequivocal and emotionally charged, using strong language ("scum," "jerk," "con artist") to underscore the seriousness of the husband’s actions. The conversation is both supportive and empowering, wrapped in blunt, no-nonsense advice, with a focus on practical, immediate steps to protect the listener's children.

Actionable Takeaways

Never sign paperwork absolving someone of identity theft, especially involving children.
Pull and freeze your children’s credit reports to prevent future fraud.
Consult with a lawyer and consider pursuing criminal charges for identity theft, even if the offender is a family member.
Do not trust verbal assurances from someone who has demonstrated they are willing to commit fraud.

This episode serves as a stark warning on the realities of financial betrayal within families and advocates for protecting minors from identity theft, even when the threat comes from within the home.

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Transcript13 lines

[00:03]
A
Brought to you by the EveryDollar app. Start budgeting for free today.
[00:07]
B
Today's question comes from Alexandria in Texas. I'm currently going through a divorce and recently found out that my husband has taken out credit cards in our children's name. He racked up significant amount of debt and emptied his retirement account to pay it off. He keeps telling me it's not possible to pull credit reports on our kids, but I don't believe that that's true because now he wants me to sign paperwork and it absolves him from any wrongdoing regarding our kids. No Good.
[00:38]
A
Not happening. Your husband is scum. Anybody that would soon to be screw his own kids over is scum. I mean, who takes out. That's just absolutely the. I mean, to start with, identity theft is illegal. It's criminal fraud. Okay, so your husband is a criminal. Oh, and who do you steal from? His children. What a jerk. No, I am not signing any paperwork. Except paperwork puts him in jail. That's. That's the paperwork we're signing on him. So now go talk. Go talk to your lawyer, darling. And tell your lawyer to send him back a little note that says lol. Got to be freaking kidding me.
[01:27]
B
You're saying O L, L, L. Yeah, whatever.
[01:30]
A
But it's. It's. Laugh out loud, you fool. Okay, so you have got to be kidding me.
[01:37]
B
Oh, yeah. And you can freeze your kids?
[01:40]
A
Yes, you can. You can pull kids credit reports and you can freeze them. We know this because we did it when Rachel was a. When they first started allowing freezing, Rachel was still a minor. And all of our children entered their adult life with a frozen credit report. Nothing had ever been on it. Nothing could get on it.
[01:59]
B
Well, and you do it too, to protect them from ID theft. Just in general. Like with their Internet. You know, the Internet?
[02:04]
A
And you need to freeze it because their father is scum. Okay, well, and that will keep him from. If they actually check the credit before they issue the credit card. They won't issue it if it's frozen. Next time he tries to do this. Because there will be a next time. This guy is a serious con artist.
[02:23]
B
Sorry, man.
[02:26]
A
Okay, this is interesting. Listen to the verbiage. He keeps telling me it's not possible put credit reports on a kiss, but I don't believe that's true. So here's. Let me help you with this. Anything this guy says is not true. If his mouth is moving, he's lying. This is a guy who would steal his own children's identity for his own personal benefit. So nothing that comes out of his mouth can be trusted. So the only thing that can be trusted are the actual facts and the behavior, not the verbal wishes. So, no, you can pull credit reports on your kids. You can freeze credit reports on your kids. I have done it.
[03:02]
B
And I would to make sure. I mean, if he says he paid it off, who knows, you know? So I would pull those credit reports to see what the status is.
[03:09]
A
I would file criminal on him. I'd have the police, I'd set him up, say, hey, somebody stole my kids, stole my kid's identity. Oh, it was him. Absolutely. And then let him figure that one out. Definitely so. Because I don't want this guy near them again. This is unbelievable. Create your free every dollar budget today. The simplest way to budget for your life.