Credit Card Fraud

Fraud involves dishonest or deceptive acts. A common form of fraud is credit card fraud. The cardholder, the business, or anybody else that illegally uses the card can be charged with credit card fraud. In Connecticut, a credit card is any instrument that can be used to get something of value on credit, whether it is goods, money, or services. If you are charged with credit card fraud in Fairfield County or the surrounding areas, you should take the charges seriously and consult Stamford credit card fraud lawyer Allan F. Friedman. He can carefully investigate your situation and work to develop the strongest defense that may be available.

Section 53a-128a defines credit and debit card crimes. Cardholders are any people named on the face of the credit card to whom or for whose benefit a payment card is issued by an issuer or the person who lawfully acquired the payment card. The issuer is the person or entity that issues the payment card. The payment card is either a credit card or a debit card. A revoked payment card is one that is invalid because permission to use the card was terminated or suspended by the issuer.

One subtype of credit card fraud involves credit card theft, which is a class A misdemeanor. This occurs when someone takes a credit card without a cardholder’s knowledge and agreement or receives a credit. They must know that the card has been mislaid or lost and keep it while intending to use it or to sell or transfer it to someone else.

Buying or selling a credit card from somebody other than the issuer is also a crime. It is charged as a class A misdemeanor. In Connecticut, a class A misdemeanor can be punished with a fine of up to $2,000 and one year of incarceration. To help fight these potential penalties, you should consult a credit card fraud attorney in the Stamford area who can keep your record clean.

If you get control over a credit card as security for a debt while intending to defraud a participating party, issuer, or somebody providing goods, money, or services, this is the crime of using a credit card as security for a debt. This form of credit card fraud is charged as a class A misdemeanor in Connecticut. Signing somebody else’s credit card while intending to defraud others is also credit card fraud. It is charged as a class A misdemeanor.

There are other credit card fraud crimes. For example, it is unlawful to knowingly lie on a credit card application about your identity or anyone else’s identity, intending that your statements will be used to get a new credit card. A business may perpetrate credit card fraud if it accepts a credit card that it knows to be expired, revoked, forged, or stolen. And it is also illegal for a business or other provider to tell the credit card company that something of value was provided to a cardholder when it was not actually provided. A business that gets involved in either of these types of fraudulent activities and improperly receives up to $500 in a six-month period as a result can be charged with a class A misdemeanor. When more than $500 is taken over a six-month period, the business commits a class D felony. This makes it especially critical to consult a Stamford credit card fraud attorney.

Another form of credit card fraud involves falsely making or embossing a card that you claim is a credit card, while intending to defraud an issuer, a participating party, a business or person providing goods, or anybody else. This is charged as a class D felony. In Connecticut, class D felonies can be punished by incarceration for 1-5 years and a maximum fine of $5,000.

A credit card fraud conviction may result in a permanent criminal record that can haunt you for the rest of your life. A criminal record can make it difficult to get a job, obtain professional licenses, or rent a home. At the Law Offices of Allan F. Friedman, we maintain clear and consistent communication with our clients. If you have been charged with credit card fraud in Fairfield County, you should consult Allan F. Friedman. He is here to answer your questions and help protect your future. Call us 24/7 at (203) 357-5555 or contact us through our online form to schedule an appointment. We charge reasonable rates. We represent people who need a credit card fraud lawyer in Stamford or the surrounding areas, such as Bridgeport, Weston, Wilton, Westport, Fairfield, Cos Cob, New Canaan, Darien, Norwalk, and Greenwich.