My mom got credit cards in my name and hers. She ran up the debt and was unable to pay it off. I didn't know anything about the credit cards until I started receiving letters from collection agencies. Can I settle the debt and have the negative debts removed from my credit report?

You can try. How did your name get on the cards if you didn't know about them?

My mom opened requested them. She put us both on the account so that she could give one to me. She just never got around to giving the one with my name on it to me.

So basically your mother is guilty of identity theft?

This is how I see it... either you deny the debt is your and your mother gets busted or you accept the debt, settle it and deal with the black marks.

Did mom put you on as a co-applicant or an authorized user?

This is the key.