JON'S CELL: One thing that can lead to a Wisconsinite facing serious charges is being accused of credit card fraud. Now, in Wisconsin law, there is not a single credit card fraud offense that covers all fraudulent credit-card-related activity. Rather there are multiple types of credit card offenses.
The main classes of credit card fraud offenses in Wisconsin are:
- Fraudulent use.
- Theft by taking card.
- Credit card forgery.
- False statements (covers false statements made to receive a credit card).
Each of these classes covers a range of different credit-card-related misconduct.
Why does what specific credit card offense a person is accused of matter?
For one, it influences what consequences the accused could potentially face in their criminal case. Charge level and penalty ranges vary between the different types of offenses. For example, some of these offenses (like false statements) can typically only be misdemeanor offenses, while others (like fraudulent use) can rise to the felony level depending on the circumstances.
Also, what specific type of offense is alleged impacts what exactly the prosecution would need to prove for a conviction to be reached. This, in turn, can impact things such as what sorts of evidence are likely to be important in the case and what strategies the prosecution may be likely to employ in the case.
Thus, when facing credit card fraud allegations, it is crucial for an individual to understand what specific type of fraudulent activity they are being accused of and what this will mean when it comes to their case. Experienced defense lawyers can help credit card fraud suspects on this front.
Source: FindLaw, “Wisconsin Credit and Debit Card Fraud,” Accessed March 2, 2016
