Plainview Fraud Lawyer

Exposing the Truth book

Get Your FREE Copy of the Book by Stephen Hamilton

EXPOSING THE TRUTH

Secrets of the Texas Criminal Justice System and Your Rights

The definition of fraud is misrepresenting oneself of any important information with the purpose of stealing from another. Fraud can include crimes like forgery, writing a bad check, or credit card fraud. Fraud crimes can be found in Texas Penal Code Chapter 32, which also outlines the wide range of potential punishments.

If you have been charged with fraud in Texas, you should get in touch with a lawyer as soon as possible. An experienced Plainview fraud lawyer could help preserve your constitutional rights in order to craft an effective defense.

Internet-Related Fraud

The internet has become a common means of committing fraud crimes, such as stealing personal information. For example, the news commonly reports on major companies whose records have been stolen. These records can include information such as:

  • Personal identification numbers
  • Social security numbers
  • Driver’s license numbers
  • Birthdays
  • Addresses

 

This data is all pertinent information which can be used for fraud.

Credit Card Fraud

Credit card fraud or abuse is using a credit or debit card to deprive someone of property. Some examples of credit card fraud are:

  • Using someone else’s credit card
  • Using an expired card
  • Stealing a card
  • Buying a credit card from a person who is not the owner or issuer of the card

Fraud Investigations

Most crimes are not on paper. For example, assault, intoxication, reckless driving, or robbery are all physical crimes. In contrast, many crimes in the fraud category have a paper trail. Even on the internet, there is going to be a trail of transactions. In a fraud investigation, finding that trail can be an important priority for police.

In order to prosecute a fraud charge, there has to be evidence of some intent to fraudulently deprive someone of their property. The prosecution also needs evidence of what was used to accomplish that task, which could be something written or procured over the internet.

Common Mistakes in Fraud Cases

A common mistake in any offense is the accused person giving away their constitutional rights by trying to talk themselves out of a situation. People need to realize that the police are trying to gather evidence against them. Generally speaking, almost anything they say can be used against them in court.

The best thing to do when accused of a crime is be cooperative and polite. An accused person should acknowledge that they have a Plainview fraud lawyer and have been advised that in this type of event, they should remain silent. Very rarely does somebody talk their way out of a charge with a police officer, because that is not the police officer’s job. Their job is to get enough evidence to arrest someone and then let the court system take over.

Penalties for a Fraud Conviction

Because the fraud category encompasses so many different crimes, a fraud conviction could result in a variety of penalties. In general, however, fraud is taken very seriously and can be a felony. For example, using the credit card of an elderly person is a third-degree felony charge.

Contact a Plainview Fraud Attorney Today

If you have been accused of fraud, you should contact an experienced Plainview fraud lawyer as soon as possible. Hiring a lawyer early in the process could ensure you do not incriminate yourself or do anything to make your situation worse. Call today to discuss your situation and begin building a defense.

Free E-Book Download

Name
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.