Dumfries Credit Card Theft Lawyer
Credit card theft can be committed a variety of ways. For example, there is the physical theft of a credit card. An individual could also illegally obtain a credit card number from a person without the card holder’s consent, with the intent to use it, sell it or transfer to another person.
A person can even take a card that they know been lost or mislaid and even if they did not take it from a person, in other words, if it is just sitting out and they know that they intend to do that and they take that credit card or credit card information with the intent to use it or distribute it then that constitutes credit card theft as well. Additionally, a person can be guilty of credit card theft in Virginia if they sell any credit card or buy the card number from a person other than the issuer of that card.
If you have been charged with credit card theft, it is very important that you contact an experienced fraud attorney. A Dumfries credit card theft lawyer may be able to help you build a strong defense.
Difference Between Credit Card Theft and Credit Card Fraud?
Fraud generally entails theft by deceit so these are situations where instead of stealing information, a person tries to obtain that information through deceit. Perhaps the most common of these types of cases involve phishing cases, where individuals are contacted by email, usually sometimes by phone claiming to be the lending institution that issued the credit card in the first place, and those people are then asked to divulge certain critical pieces of identifying information that are then used by the thieves to obtain the good services or otherwise.
Common Offenses Associated with Credit Card Theft
The most common method of credit card theft these days, especially with the escalation technology, is called the skimming of credit card numbers. Skimming credit card numbers is when a person illegally attaches some sort of device to an ATM or a gas pump or someplace where people regularly use credit cards without a lot of concern and uses those devices to obtain information about the credit card user, and the card itself including the numbers, expiration date, and address associated with it. This information can be made readily available to people due to how common and accessible this technology can be.
Defending Credit Card Theft Case
The fundamental element of credit card theft is that they a person is in possession of either a credit card or a credit card’s numbers that they intend to use for illicit purposes. However, if a friend of the lawful cardholder goes to the grocery store for their friend and uses their card, that is not credit card theft because they have the lawful cardholder’s permission and intend to use the card for legitimate and justified means. The most critical elements that people need to be aware of is that not only do they have to have the card, but they have to be able to prove that they intended to use it for illicit purposes. A Dumfries credit card theft lawyer can attempt to disprove these claims and argue that the accused did not intend to use the card for illicit purposes.
The first thing a Dumfries credit card theft attorney needs to do is look at the facts of the case and determine what the government can prove with regard to the elements of the offense. Again, the elements are that they have to prove that they are in possession of the credit card or credit card information and that the cardholder did not authorize that possession and/or that they are in possession of those numbers or credit cards with the intent to use them for illegal purposes. The attorney needs to look and see what the facts are telling the attorney about the case and they need to look to see what information the government can and cannot prove with regard to those facts and how that relates to the elements of the offense.
Importance of Hiring a Dumfries Credit Card Theft Lawyer
Any credit card theft is considered a grand larceny offense which, if they are found guilty, would constitute a felony charge which can carry up to 20 years in the penitentiary. It is in a person’s best interest to work with an experienced attorney to try to help them navigate those waters because they can be quite treacherous. If you are currently facing a credit card theft charge, do not hesitate to get in contact with a Dumfries credit card theft lawyer.
