Credit card fraud should not be part of your holiday plans

 Posted on December 00,0000 in Fraud

Trying to find a way to pay for Christmas gifts is a challenge for people this time of year. The one thing that you shouldn't ever do is to give in to the temptation of turning to illegal means to pay for gifts for loved ones. It is pretty safe to say that they'd like to have you around for the holidays more than what they'd appreciate you being in jail for theft.

One area that you have to be concerned with is credit card theft. There are a few ways that this can happen, but not all of them have to do with you using another person's card. It is possible to face credit card fraud charges if you don't use another person's card.

If you use your own credit card to make a purchase and you know that there isn't enough on the account to pay for the transaction or you know that the card isn't valid, you can face credit card fraud charges. This isn't very common these days since most companies will charge the card immediately when you make the purchase.

Another form of credit card fraud has to do with the merchant who is accepting the card for payment. If there is a reason to think that it was obtained illegally or is being used without the owner's permission, criminal charges are possible. Of course, using someone's credit or debit card to pay for transactions without their consent would also mean you can face legal troubles.

It is imperative that you think about your options for a defense if you are charged with a crime related to credit card fraud. The penalties can be very serious, including time in prison, so be sure you keep this in mind from the investigation through the final outcome of your case.