Sometimes, people throw around the term “fraud” as an insult to someone who may not have met their expectations. While some people on the receiving end of this insult may simply rebuff the comment and move on, you may not have that ability if authorities believe that you committed fraud.
Any type of criminal fraud can have serious repercussions, and if authorities suspect that you committed credit card fraud, you likely know that you could be in a world of trouble. However, you do not have to immediately feel guilty because you have the right to defend against criminal allegations. Gaining information on the crime of which authorities have accused you may be beneficial.
What is credit card fraud?
In order to combat charges, it is wise to first know what they are. In Illinois, if police suspect you of any of the following activities involving credit cards, you could face a fraud charge:
- Selling or buying a credit card
- Providing false information in order to obtain a credit card
- Using a credit card with the intent to defraud someone
- Possessing a lost or mislaid credit card
- Using a forged, expired, unissued, revoked or counterfeited credit card
- Possessing another person’s credit card
- Using a credit card as security for a debt
It is also important to note that credit card fraud no longer strictly applies to just credit cards. With the popular use of debit cards to pay for items, these same actions involving debit cards instead of credit cards could still result in fraud charges.
What charges could result?
The majority of the aforementioned actions could lead to Class 4 felony charges with the exception of using a credit or debit card with the intent to defraud, or the use of a counterfeited, unissued, expired, forged or revoked card. The use of a card with intent to defraud is a Class A misdemeanor, and the use of a counterfeited or otherwise unauthorized card is a Class 3 felony.
Once you understand exactly what authorities suspect you of doing, you may have a better chance of creating a meaningful defense against the allegations. It may prove useful to you to consult with a criminal defense attorney about your available legal options and how you could put your best foot forward when handling your case.
