A conviction for credit card fraud is associated with four to five years of incarceration. Such a conviction may involve possession of a false credit card, possession of a credit card with the intent to use improperly, and forgery of a false credit card. In many cases, the amount of money involved in the alleged fraud will determine its classification as either a misdemeanor or a felony.
If you have been charged, it is imperative that you seek out the services of an earnest attorney. A Grand Rapids credit card fraud lawyer may be able to provide you with the legal counsel you deserve and could highly benefit from.
What is Skimming?Skimming may refer to two separate acts. When skimming is used as a common term for defalcation, it refers to the misappropriation of funds by an individual who is entrusted with those funds. For instance, if an if an employee sells an item for $75, but enters the sale in the register as $50 and keeps the remaining $25 for themselves, they have skimmed money from their employer.
However, in the world of credit card fraud, skimming refers to the act of using a device, or a “skimmer,” in order to obtain the credit card information of another individual. For instance, such a device may be installed on a gas pump or an ATM. When an individual uses his card in the gas pump or ATM reader, their credit card information is also registered by the skimmer, allowing the individual who installed the skimmer to fraudulently obtain that information and use it for their own purposes.
Purchasing Unaffordable ItemsMany individuals believe that the act of using one’s own credit card to purchase an item for which one does not have sufficient funds constitutes credit card fraud. However, this is not the case. While such an act may give rise to civil litigation over failure to pay a bill, it will not give rise to criminal litigation involving credit card fraud. Speak with a Grand Rapids credit card fraud lawyer to learn more about this.
Required EvidenceMuch of the required evidence relates to identifying the individual who allegedly engaged in the fraudulent transaction. Such evidence may include video recordings and witness testimony. However, when fraud occurs over the telephone or the internet, such evidence is neither available nor applicable. Under such circumstances, limited evidence is available and prosecution is difficult.
However, it may be possible to track the address to which the fraudulently purchased property was mailed and to establish a pattern of fraudulent activity at that address. When such a pattern can be discerned, investigating authorities may be able to identify the individual or individuals involved in the activity. Consult with a Grand Rapids credit card fraud lawyer for help in gathering evidence.
Role of a Grand Rapids Credit Card Fraud AttorneyThe exact role a Grand Rapids credit card fraud lawyer plays is dependent on the specific nature of the individual case. However, generally, a credit card fraud case involves the fraudulent use of a credit card or credit card information. Therefore, one of the first things an attorney may do is gather evidence to establish the extent to which the person charged was authorized to use the credit card information and the extent to which they did, in fact, use that information.
Moreover, throughout the duration of the case, an experienced attorney will work to reduce the impact of the charges or any future conviction on the individual charged. For example, they could work with any alleged victim or victims to determine the extent to which the individual can make restitution and resolve the case in a manner favorable to all parties. If you are a person who could benefit from these services, you should retain the services of an attorney who can fight tirelessly on your behalf.