Do authorities suspect you of credit card fraud?

When authorities accuse a person of white collar crime, it is often because they suspect that the person has carried out illegal activity for financial gain. Of course, numerous types of white collar crime exist, and even if the police specifically accuse you of fraud, several types of fraud also exist.

Because fraud does not point to only one specific crime, it is important that you understand the exact allegation that you face. For instance, you may face credit card fraud if authorities believe that you took another person’s credit card information without permission. Unfortunately, if convicted of such a crime, you could face serious penalties.

Understanding credit card fraud

The more you know about credit card fraud, the better your chances of defending against the allegations may be. In particular, you may want to be aware that credit card fraud can also include fraudulent debit card use. Some elements of this type of crime you may want to be aware of include the following:

• The use of a personal credit card or debit card even though it has expired, been revoked or does not have enough funds to cover a purchase
• The fraudulent taking, using, selling, buying, forging or signing of someone else’s credit or debit card information
• Knowingly selling goods or services to someone using a stolen or otherwise fraudulently obtained credit or debit card

If authorities suspect that any of these elements occurred, you could face arrest and charges for credit card fraud. It is also important to note that both state and federal laws for this type of fraud exist, and federal charges could come with more severe penalties in some cases.

What does card fraud look like?

Though the aforementioned points show the elements of credit card fraud in broad strokes, some specific actions that could be considered fraudulent include:

• Using a counterfeit card
• Taking over an existing account without authorization
• Opening a new account using stolen identification
• Using a lost or stolen card
• Making purchases without having the card
• Using a fake card

The exact type of activity that authorities believe you participated in could affect your case and your defense options. As a result, it is a smart move to have as much information about your specific ordeal as possible. In order to gain reliable information relating to your case, you may want to reach out to an Ohio defense attorney for help and support.