What would happen to a person who stopped making payments...?

After 6 months, you will have a very high balance due after penalties, fees, and interest.

After 2 years, the credit card debt will go to collections, and even more of a high balance will be due. You will find yourself in lawsuits and unsettling legal battles with attempts to collect the money.

After 10 years, you will find it impossible to get a car loan, a mortgage, and may find issues with your "tax refunds" being withheld. You may find yourself in court, your wages may possibly (not sure) be garnished, and if you refuse to go to court to handle lawsuits with credit card companies; you will find yourself in jail and being arrested for contempt of court.

This is not a very good idea at all. The interest and fees and penalties on credit cards are VERY HIGH, and you can find yourself in debt for the remainder of your life.

You will have issues selling assets like your home or your car (due to liens), you will have a terrible credit score, your debt will go into default, your bank accounts may be frozen, you may not be able to open another bank account until the debt is paid off. A lot of legal action can happen.

First harassing calls and letters, next they write off your debt and sell it to a collections company who will continue the calls and letters and eventually file suit against you to win a judgement.