Credit card fraud in Manassas most commonly involves using a credit card that one knows to be revoked or expired to get money or something of value, or using someone else’s card or card information without permission. In a similar vein, skimming occurs when someone steals the encoded credit card information of another. Stealing that information and then using is a form of credit card fraud under Virginia law.
If accused, you should contact a Manassas credit card fraud lawyer as soon as possible due to the severity of this offense and the fact that it could carry potential jail time as well as long-term implications for your current and future employment. An experienced fraud attorney, however, may be able to compile evidence on your behalf and ensure a strong defense is built for the facts and circumstances surrounding your case.
There are a variety of penalties that are available if an individual is convicted of credit card fraud. The first level of analysis is whether they are being charged with a misdemeanor or a felony. If the amount that is alleged to have been defrauded is $200 or more, it is a felony case. A felony conviction can result in a prison sentence of up to five years, $2,500 fine, as well as probation. Even if it’s for less than $200 where it’s a misdemeanor charge, an individual is going to potentially be facing jail time as well as significant consequences to their ability to continue to work or secure employment in the future making it imperative a credit card fraud lawyer in Manassas is consulted.
One misconception about credit card fraud is that an individual must actually have to steal the credit card or even know for a certainty that the card being used contains a fake number. One of the ways that this is frequently manifested in Manassas is when someone, either in person or online, purchases gift cards from stores or even a Visa gift card or check card from an individual for less than its face value. When they then attempt to use these cards for payments, they may be surprised to find out that they’re actually encoded with stolen credit card dates.
Under Virginia law, if an individual is purchasing a gift card or any kind of card for less than face value, that is going to be strong circumstantial evidence that the buyer was aware that they were using a hot or stolen number.
A Manassas credit card fraud lawyer is going to have a number of important roles to play in a case of this type. The first one is going to be to guide you through the entire process, from helping you understand what happens after your arrest, what happens at different hearings, how preparation goes and ultimately how trial and sentencing work.
Their other important role of the Manassas credit card fraud attorney is going to be to advocate for the defendant through that process, collecting all of the evidence which is helpful, marshaling all of the evidence that will be used by the defense at trial, as well as analyzing the government’s evidence. In addition, the lawyer’s role is going to be to know the law surrounding credit card fraud and to bring to bear the best legal arguments that are available to the defendant in the case in order to help you either reduce the charges or have the charges dismissed in some cases. At a minimum, their job is to help lessen the impact of any charges that are made.
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