Can someone go to jail for not paying their credit cards debts?

[thediamante]

I think Estafa is different from debts. Estafa is a fraud and it can be done by issuing of bouncing checks. Issuing of bouncing checks is a criminal act that's why they can go to jail. Maybe there's no one can go to jail for not paying their debts because they're giving a chance to those who can't pay they can settle and make an agreement. Though you opt to not to pay, you're going to have a bad credit history.

Oh I see, so they'll just receive bad credit then? How generous.

[alexd]

It depends on the country you're living in, you need to check the laws. I think the law in my country may allow that, not really sure, but if it does it very, very rarely happens. The best thing to do would be to not put yourself in that sort of situation in the first place.

[gelotologist]

It definitely depends on the country you're living in. As what others have told or have said, if you didn't pay your bills or don't actually have an intention paying then most likely the thing that would happen to you, is you'll get ban for getting any credit card that your country can produce or can lend. And it sucks, so paying your debts would be the best option in any other ways.

[chikatilo]

In my country if you don't pay your debt, the credit card company will contact the state authorities and thus will obtain the right to repossess your car, belongings, even your apartment, but they won't send you to jail. They will basically leave you out on the street homeless with nothing.

Even if someone with unpaid debt dies, the bank will go after his immediate relatives and will demand that they pay off his credit balance. It's crazy. This is why people here are really cautious about credit cards and overspending.

[Heart]

Credit card debts are civil liabilities so debtors are not likely to go to jail for non-payment of their debts. However, credit card companies can take legal steps to garnish their wages, take hold of their savings fund, or put a lien on their properties. Additionally, there are cases that can qualify for fraud. In such cases, the debtor may be sued criminally and be sent to jail if found guilty. Such cases include acts that tend to demonstrate intent to defraud the credit card company like moving to another address without informing the bank or credit card conmpany, misrepresenting information like claiming to be still employed or running a business to obtain a loan through the card, taking out a loan or using the card for purchases without any valid means or source of funds to pay for them and demonstrates the fact of incapacity by not being able to pay on the next billing cycle.

Facts. In legalities once you broke the contract you signed with the credit company they already have the right to file a case against you. It may be illegal to be put in jail just because of unpaid debts but the court have the power to squeeze all those valuable juices you have just for you to pay the debts.

[mharzenas]

I don't ever heard about someone who got jailed for this reasons, but somehow I think this is possible. Not paying your credit card bills is like evading your responsibility in paying your loans. This can be somehow related in stealing money that doesn't belong to you. You can be marked as a thief in our society plus how can you ever sleep without conscience that you didn't pay them and you will run their money.

[Martinsx]

Here in the US you can not go to jail for not paying your credit card debt, but I don't know how it is in other countries around the world. You can go to jail though if your creditor sues you and you fail to show up in court. That would not be likely to happen though, they would most likely just order a default judgment against you and you could not plead the case the debts were not yours.

I don't think I have read anywhere or even online that someone was sent to jail for credit card debts. Even in US just like you said, which is a country that makes heavy use of credit cards and I'm sure credit card debt is pretty much high there, not one single case has been logged that a debtor was sent to jail for failing to clear his card debts. Maybe it's going to start in future time but as of now, nothing of such nature is happening.

[JB Fernandez]

I guest the bank will just sue you and you need to set your signature to an agreement when you can pay your debts.

[tacia93]

Not paying your credit card debt will not result in jail time. It will have a bad effect on your credit score. Over time it will effect your credit score less and less. Depending on how much you owe and how many on-time payments you made prior to failing to pay, you can negotiate getting rid of the remaining balance on that credit. Also, if the creditor sells your credit, then you do not have to pay it necessarily. However everything is case by case and depending on where you live.

[lisadolor]

It is possible but it takes anlot of process. The agency or company where you applied for the credit card will send you mails containing the due date, the amount and notice if you did not pay for the money.