Virginia Credit Card Fraud Lawyer

Credit card fraud is when somebody defrauds certain people. An individual is trying to trick the person whose credit they are using. They have the intent to trick and intent to defraud. One way of committing credit card fraud is when someone uses a card that they know is expired or revoked.

Other ways are a person uses somebody else’s credit card without their permission or they get money from a credit card issuer even though they know that it is beyond the fund availability or advances. If an individual has been charged with credit card fraud, they should speak with a skilled fraud attorney. Individuals should work with a Virginia credit card fraud lawyer and know that they are in capable hands.

What is Skimming?

Skimming would be specifically getting money from either a couple of different accounts or from one account over a period of time, unauthorized, and with intent to defraud, deceive, or obtain money under false pretenses. It might not add up to over $200, so it might take a little bit longer.

Depending on how many accounts a person is skimming from, a person could be charged with multiple counts of credit card fraud, because skimming usually refers to little bits of money over a long period of time.

Common Misconceptions Concerning Credit Card Fraud

There is only one type of credit card fraud, but it can be done in many ways. It can be done by authorizing charges when the person knows that they do not have that credit amount on their card. It can be done by not being allowed.

For example, the person has their dad’s card and he allows them to use it for emergencies, but they have to check with them to use it, so the person is using it without getting their permission and they know that they do not have the authorization to use that card. Since the person is using it, it is credit card fraud, even if the person initially had the authorization to use it. If the person is going beyond what they can charge with credit card fraud, it can be a misdemeanor, depending on the amount.

Penalties for Credit Card Fraud

Penalties for credit card fraud in Virginia are based on what the person is charged with. If it is over $200 or over six months, it is going to be a felony offense. If it is less than $200, it is going to be a misdemeanor offense.

If it is a misdemeanor offense, a person could be looking at up to 12 months in jail and $2,500 fine for the offense. For a felony over $200, it could be one to five years or if the jury decides, it could be up to 12 months in jail, depending on that person’s record. The charge for a felony is over $200 and over a period of six months. A Virginia credit card fraud lawyer could attempt to mitigate the penalties that an individual may face.

Role of a Virginia Credit Card Fraud Attorney

A Virginia credit card fraud lawyer could be helpful during the investigative process pre-arrest, which involves helping limit the damage that a person is doing by participating in the investigation, helping the police do their investigation, or making any statements or service to the police. An attorney could make sure that the person is not liaising with the police who may be badgering the person or trying to get consistent questions to convict the person.

A skilled lawyer could begin the process of going through the papers and existing evidence and filing evidentiary basis. There are certain ways that documents have to be introduced as evidence in the court or they cannot come in if the person does not know how and when to present that. A qualified attorney could take the steps necessary to build a robust defense.