Dumfries Credit Card Fraud Lawyer

If someone is charged with credit card fraud, the odds are very high that they could be facing significant time in jail or prison. A person should contact a local fraud attorney immediately to try to help manage an investigation, and get themselves the best representation possible as quickly as possible.

If you are facing these types of offenses, it is imperative that you seek a Dumfries credit card fraud lawyer. They can help you build a strong defense. These are serious charges and can have long-term consequences and penalties if you are convicted.

Legal Definition of Credit Card Fraud

Credit card fraud can mean a number of different things. It could mean the procurement of credit card information from a person through fraudulent means and then the use of that credit card information to purchase things. It can involve the theft of a credit card and then the use of that card by forging the card holder’s name on whatever transaction is taking place. There are a few different ways that credit card fraud can arise but, generally speaking, it’s the acquisition of credit card information through fraudulent means and then using that credit card information to make purchases or otherwise acquire financial benefits.

Potential Penalties

Penalties associated with credit card fraud are determined by the amount that was taken. Credit card fraud can be a misdemeanor but only if the amount of the loss that’s involved with the crime is less than $200.00. If it’s more than $200, then the credit card fraud becomes a Class 6 felony, which is punishable by one to five years in prison.

Skimming

There is no specific law in Virginia that specifically addresses the concept of skimming. Skimming is the act of fixing a device to a credit card machine, like an ATM or a gas pump, and/or hacking that device in order to procure all of the credit card information that is available by overriding the security of the machine. This means the fraudsters can automatically be in possession of all the credit card information as soon as the person simply fills up their tank or withdraws cash from an ATM, but all of that is considered under the credit card fraud statute.

Common Misconceptions

The common misconception about credit card fraud among the general public is that it’s not very common and it won’t happen to them. In fact, this is quite common and if one just googles issues of credit card fraud, or skimming, or anything like that, they will see lots of articles about recent issues in their area. The advent of the internet has really changed the way that thieves take money. People need to be very diligent about making sure that they pay attention to their statements with their credit cards and ATMs because this issue is far more prevalent than most people choose to believe.

Role of an Attorney

The first and most important thing that a Dumfries credit card fraud lawyer will do is force the government to provide discovery that the lawyer can analyze the merits of the government’s case and determine whether or not there’s enough evidence to prove that a fraud was committed and that the potential client was the one that committed it. Very often, if an individual made no statements, it is all going to rise and fall on documentary evidence and, depending on what that evidence is going to look like, there may not be enough indications for the government to be able to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.