What Are the Consequences If I Am Convicted of Credit Card Fraud?

 Posted on February 26, 2021 in Fraud

In today’s world, most people utilize credit cards, debit cards, and other forms of electronic payment as their main way of paying for goods and services. This can be much more convenient than having to constantly keep cash on hand; however, it also opens up the possibility that your personal information could get stolen at some point. According to the FBI, of all of the fraud complaints that they receive each year, credit card fraud composes the majority of those complaints. In the state of Wisconsin, credit card fraud is a crime that can take several forms, and it is taken seriously and can result in major consequences. 

Types of Credit Card Fraud Offenses

There is more than one way to be charged with credit card fraud in Wisconsin. Credit card fraud is a term that is often used, but it actually encompasses a variety of actions that are illegal and carry serious consequences. Credit card fraud in Wisconsin includes:

• Making false statements to a credit card company using your own or someone else’s personal information or financial condition

• Taking a credit card from another person without their knowledge or permission

• Possessing a credit card knowing that it was stolen from its owner, with the intent to sell

• Buying a credit card from anyone other than the card issuer

• Selling a credit card if you are not a card-issuing entity

• Altering or counterfeiting credit cards with the intent to defraud any entity

• Using a credit card with the knowledge that it was forged or revoked

• Making a purchase with a credit card without the cardholder’s consent

• Using your card with the intent to defraud

• Using a stolen or forged credit card in an ATM machine

Penalties for a Credit Card Fraud Conviction

Because the acts that fall under the credit card fraud umbrella vary so greatly, so do the punishments. In Wisconsin, credit card fraud can be charged as anywhere from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class G felony, depending on the nature of the crime. This means that you could face up to nine months in jail and up to $10,000 in fines for a misdemeanor conviction, or you could face up to 10 years in jail and up to $25,000 in fines for a Class G felony conviction.

Our Brookfield Credit Card Fraud Defense Attorneys Are Here to Help

Credit card fraud cases are extremely serious and can sometimes even involve federal authorities if the crime is serious enough. At Bucher, Wolff & Sonderhouse, LLP, our team of skilled attorneys has more than 40 years of combined experience in criminal law, including those involving credit cards and other financial crimes. If you have been charged with credit card fraud, you should speak to our Waukesha County credit card fraud defense lawyers about your case. To schedule a free consultation, call our office today at 262-232-6699.

Sources:

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/943/III/41

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/939/iv/50