Credit card fraud is a serious offense, involving the use of another person’s credit card for financial gain. If you are accused of this crime, you could face significant penalties.
Credit card fraud overview
There are several common forms of credit card fraud. The first is the use of another person’s credit card without permission. The card may be used to make purchases or take a cash advance to spend. It may also include creating a counterfeit credit card, intending to use it to make fraudulent transactions.
Credit card fraud can involve using someone’s personal information to open a new credit card and then make unauthorized charges, using a stolen credit card online, or installing a credit card skimmer to take credit card information for your own use.
Potential penalties and defenses
The penalties for credit card fraud may vary, depending on the circumstances and the amount of money involved. However, generally, penalties can include fines, probation, jail time of between five and ten years, and restitution to the victim. If the crime involved identity theft or possession of a counterfeit credit card, you may face additional separate charges for that crime.
There are defenses for this crime, including a lack of intent to commit the crime and demonstrating that you had a legitimate reason to use the card. If the cardholder gave you permission to use the card and was aware of the transactions, that may also be a defense. These are only some examples of defenses that may be available.
