After an unexpected power shutdown, a Minnesota woman was shocked to discover she was around $12,000 in debt that wasn’t even hers. Posting her situation to r/legaladvice, ApprehensiveBlackCat claimed that this massive debt is her family members’ accumulated bills: “I can’t pay $12,000 to get the electricity turned back on,” she wrote. She accused Xcel Energy of refusing to allow her to open an account because of a past-due balance from her family, who had lived in the house before.
“How can they actually make me pay other people’s bills? How? I don’t have the money for legal counsel. I don’t have the money to pay it,” ApprehensiveBlackCat wrote in a panic. She says the address had been flagged after her mother, ex-sister-in-law, and brother, all of whom have her last name, had their own accounts but didn’t handle the electric bills.
Redditors Upvoted a Comment That Turned Out to Be The Woman’s Saving Grace
Fortunately, among the dozens of Redditors who offered suggestions, one highly upvoted commenter had some good points. First off, they reassured ApprehensiveBlackCat that she is not legally responsible for debts incurred by family just because of a shared last name. They continue, adding how utility companies often flag addresses with multiple unpaid balances but still can’t force her to pay for services she didn’t use under an account that wasn’t hers.
“Cursed last name family chaos is more common than you think,” the commenter remarked, suggesting that the Minnesota woman prioritize getting her proof of non-residency, along with possibly contacting the Attorney General’s office if things get too hectic with Xcel. Fortunately, ApprehensiveBlackCat wasn’t just on Reddit to rant but took the comments’ advice. Now, she’s updated her post with good news.
“I was able to get someone to help from the Attorney Generals office and we are getting power back tomorrow!” she exclaimed, thanking all those who chimed in to help. When dealing with financial debts beyond one’s wherewithal to pay, contacting one’s AG office seems to be a common and often ideal solution for those seeking help on r/legaladvice.
