Credit card fraud is on the rise recently and because of that, investigators and prosecutors pursue these cases zealously, when there is an allegation that you have committed credit card fraud. Unfortunately, your character and your future can be negatively impacted by someone else's decision to assign you the blame for credit card fraud. Any allegation of fraud is serious enough to warrant a lawyer who can work with you directly on developing a defense plan. The sooner you can get a lawyer looking into the allegations and talking with prosecutors about the case, the higher the chances of success in warding off these charges. The right attorney is a vital component of your chances to avoid criminal penalties.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, credit card fraud is an extremely common crime, not just in New York, but across the country. In fact, around the nation, more than 9 million people are affected by credit card fraud every year. An experienced Suffolk County credit card fraud lawyer will know how aggressively these cases are prosecuted and pursued in general.
Without the help of a credit card fraud defense lawyer in Suffolk County, you could make mistakes early on in your case that could compromise your ability to successfully defend yourself. Because use of the internet and computers has increased so rapidly in recent years, this kind of criminal activity is more closely monitored by the New York district attorney's office. You need legal guidance if you are already facing allegations of such a crime. A Suffolk County credit card defense attorney will help you figure out whether or not alternatives are available to you in terms of a defense. A credit card fraud defense attorney in Suffolk County will have extensive experience handling these kinds of allegations.
What Is Included in Credit Card Fraud Allegations?This crime incorporates numerous offenses that involve the fraudulent use of a credit card by theft. This often happens when you use another person's card to purchase something. However, this crime may be connected to computer fraud because many of these allegedly illegal transactions occur over the internet. Some of the examples of behavior that can be incorporated into credit card fraud allegations include stealing a credit card, using false information on a credit application, using someone's credit card without their permission, manufacturing fraudulent credit cards or creating a website that fraudulently accesses credit card information. If you buy something as small as a movie ticket with someone else's credit card, you could be found guilty of credit card fraud. You may also be charged with complementary allegations like criminal possession of stolen property, identity theft or forgery. You could be punished by up to one year in jail for any of these misdemeanor offenses. You could also be accused of illegal use of a credit card, debit card, or public benefit card. This occurs when someone uses a card that they know is currently invalid. As a class A misdemeanor, this charge could be elevated to the level of grand larceny which is a felony offense, if the amount of the charge was greater than $1000. Many people do not realize that they do not have to be in physical possession of the credit card to be charged with such a crime. The use of a number in and of itself is enough to commit such an offense. Statistics show that more than one half of all credit card fraud that occurs online is used only with the numbers and not the physical card. Your attorney can help you figure out whether violations of your rights occurred that could compromise the prosecution's ability to convict you. If your constitutional rights were not respected or your Miranda rights were not maintained, your attorney can pursue this as a line of defense. Furthermore, if there is insufficient evidence against you that shows you are guilty of credit card fraud, your attorney will pursue this strategy and help to cast doubt about whether or not you truly could have committed this crime. In these situations, it is important to identify an attorney that you can trust, who will take your case with care and compassion.