Suspect BS (Ev 15)

So, after a few years of working myself to a state of near death, having no money to show for it, paying all my bills, and my parents’ bills, like a responsible adult, despite not having five pounds left at the end of the month, in a severely unhappy marriage and knowing that I will die a virgin, my brother decided to break the news to me that he had taken a ‘few loans in my name.’ After a bit of interrogation, it was revealed that a ‘few’ in actual fact translated to about fifty thousand pounds, and the monthly amount would be debited from my account. He was near to bankruptcy but promised he would try to transfer me the money each month; both of us knew he didn’t have the money to do this.

It transpired that he had a gambling addiction – quite a severe one. I wasn’t the only one he had taken loans in the name of – he had done the same to his wife and my mother. Now, he was in a mess. I, who was already not coping with the financial burden I was in, remained at a loss for words. I shouted at him, cried, and then resolved to help him solve his problems. Thank God I had already bought my flat because my credit rating was now fucked.

Anyway, he paid the monthly repayment for the first couple of months, then gradually started partially contributing, or saying he had no money. I had to take out credit card loans now to help me stay on top of things and of course I couldn’t confide in the Ogre, because he was already pissed off about my parents’ financial responsibility and not contributing anything anyway.

So, when I got to breaking point, 3 years into the repayments, I confided in a close friend and she helped me come up with a plan. She said I should take out one large loan to consolidate all the payments, instead of paying out so much money to lots of different loans. I did this. And I immediately paid off my brother’s loan and my loans and could now focus on a single sum of money to pay off slowly.

I put the phone down and felt relief for the first time in ages.

But the next month, my brother’s big loan payment was still debited from my account. I phoned the company – surely it was a mistake? I had paid it off.

It transpired that he had registered his email address with the loan but my bank details. So when I paid off the loan, he had received an email informing him. That second, he had taken out the full amount again, gambled it, and lost it.

As a result, I now had doubled my debt.

Yes, it was his debt, but it was my credit rating and name and he had no money and no income to pay for any of it. Of course I cried, and screamed and even hit him. I told my mum. She was crushed and burst into tears to see my state – but she was helpless too.

You are lucky I am still alive to tell the tale.

I just carried on.

I think that was possibly the worst moment of my life.