Virginia Check Fraud Lawyer

Under Virginia law, check fraud is similar to credit card fraud. It involves the defendant issuing a check that they know will not work because of insufficient funds. It will bounce, so it is essentially the same as a theft crime. It is a grand larceny defense, depending on the amount of check. If you have been charged with check fraud, it is vital that you contact a qualified fraud lawyer as soon as possible. A skilled Virginia check fraud lawyer could build a solid defense for you.

Crimes Associated With Check Fraud

Common crimes that are associated with check fraud, which is a larceny offense, are petty larceny and grand larceny. That is the way that it would be treated, so it is the same penalties that go along with that. Grand larceny would be a felony for anything under $200 or more and under $200 would be a petty larceny, so that would be a misdemeanor and it would be up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine.

If someone is being charged with check fraud and they are meeting with a Virginia check fraud lawyer, they should bring bank account information, information from the checkbook, and anything they can remember from the incident, like when they wrote the check, how they wrote the check, and the intention.

Potential Penalties

If it is a misdemeanor check fraud offense, a person could face up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine. Restitution would be part of it if that money was owed and never given, especially to the bank. The banks usually charge the fee for that type of thing.

If it is a felony offense, it would be an amount that would be considered grand larceny, which is over $200. Depending on what offense it is, the person could be facing active time in jail. It is going to depend on the facts of their case. It is usually one to five years in prison unless it is a first offense and the jury decides that they want to give the person up to 12 months in jail. A Virginia check fraud lawyer could mitigate the penalties that an individual may face.

How Can Someone Tell They Are Being Investigated for Check Fraud?

A person will know that they are being investigated for check fraud if their check is randomly frozen, or they receive a call from a bank or investigator. If somebody is asking a person questions about it, the person knows that they bounced a check, or they get a notification about it, the person should be on the alert that they might be investigated for check fraud.

Importance of Contacting a Virginia Check Fraud Lawyer

If you have been charged with a check fraud offense, you should contact a Virginia check fraud lawyer that could help you. It is important to work with an attorney that could help you with the pre-investigation, to limit the damage if you believe that there is even a potential for a charge to come down the line. It is important to get somebody on board sooner rather than later to prevent the person from making statements or incriminating themselves in other ways. Work with a skilled fraud lawyer and know that you are in capable hands.