Arlington County Credit Card Crimes Attorney

By Rex Flynn,
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Speak with a proven Arlington County Credit Card Crimes Attorney

In Virginia Credit Card crimes (Credit Card Theft, Credit Card Forgery, and Credit Card Fraud – to name a few) are incredibly serious and have very significant consequences, including prison time.  They will cause problems with employers, education, and many of these charges have serious collateral consequences, such as the loss of a security clearance, the right to vote or possess a firearm, and/or immigration consequences.  You need a proven Arlington County Credit Card Crimes Attorney to fight for you, so that you and your loved ones can rest knowing that you are in good hands!

Arlington Credit Card Crimes AttorneyCredit Card offenses in Virginia are typically split between one of several different statutes: Credit Card Theft, Credit Card Forgery, and Credit Card Fraud.  CreditCard Theft includes instances where one has stolen or obtained a credit card (or even just the numbers and information on the credit card).  How one obtains the card or the numbers is less significant than one’s intent once in possession of the card or numbers.  For example if one finds a card on the ground, or is mailed a card belonging to someone else, using that card, knowing that it rightfully belongs to someone else is a crime.  Even, when the party receives the card or information in a truly innocent manner (such as finding it on the ground, or receiving it in the mail).  Credit Card Theft is an unclassified felony, regardless of the amount of the theft.  If you have been charged with Credit Card Theft, you need a proven Arlington County Credit Card Theft Attorney to assist you with presenting the best case on your behalf.

Credit Card Forgery on the other hand, deals with the physical card / card paperwork itself.  This includes the act of creating a fake physical credit card, signing the back of a credit card belonging to someone else, or writing fraudulent or fake information on a credit card receipt.  Forgery crimes generally deal with the act of writing or creating a fraudulent item intended to fool people who need to rely on that item.  Therefore, with Credit Card Forgery charges, there will be an act against the physical card itself, or paperwork associated with the credit card.  For example, if someone exchanges the magnetic strip on the back of a card, so that it has electronic information that belongs to a different card, or other identifying information.  Another example is when someone makes a fake credit card. To be clear, the act of creating the card itself is the crime of Credit Card Forgery, what one does after the card’s creation is likely to be an additional crime.  Credit Card Forgery is a Class 5 Felony.  If you are charged with Credit Card Forgery, you need a skilled Arlington County Credit Card Forgery Attorney to assist you in fighting your case to the very end!

Credit Card Fraud requires an intent to defraud, an act in furtherance of the fraud, where someone to relies upon that fraud and provides something of value in exchange. All theft crimes require the specific intent to steal.  Courts will look to the behavior of the defendant to establish what their intent was.  Likewise, in determining whether there was an intent to defraud in a Credit Card Fraud case, a court will look at the surrounding circumstances to establish whether this was simply an honest mistake or misunderstanding, or something more devious.  Credit Card theft is a felony, regardless of the amount in question.  However, Credit Card Fraud can be a Class 1 Misdemeanor if the amount is less than $200.  However, if during a six month period, the amount defrauded by credit card is greater than $200, then it is a Class 6 Felony.  Whether you are charged with a misdemeanor or felony charge of Credit Card Fraud in Arlington County, you need a proven Arlington County Credit Card Fraud Attorney to assist you with fighting for you until the very end.

If you or someone you care about has been charged in Arlington County for Credit Card Theft, Credit Card Forgery, Credit Card Fraud or any other fraud-related offense, contact the Flynn Law Firm for a free consultation.  We are an African American law firm with 8 years of experience with fighting credit card offenses in Arlington County.  These charges are serious, you deserve to be represented by an attorney that you trust and that will fight for you to the very end.  Give us a call today for a free consultation.