Credit card fraud constitutes a crime. This crime has increased in popularity over time. This happens as more people adopt credit cards as a primary means of paying for goods and services. Another reason for credit card fraud increase is that computer hacking has gained popularity. This leaves people who use their credit card information online vulnerable to identity theft. In the state of Connecticut, credit card fraud is not tolerated. For more information on this crime, read on.

Consequences

The illegal use of credit cards can result in serious consequences in the state of Connecticut. If you pretend to be an accountholder while consciously knowing that that account is not yours, you will be guilty of credit card fraud. The consequences for credit card fraud in Connecticut fall into two categories:

The first category applies if the money stolen from the credit card costs $500 or less. In this case, the credit card fraud is charged as a Class A misdemeanor. The penalties for this crime include up to a year long prison sentence and a fine of up to $2,000.

The second category for credit card fraud applies if the money stolen from the credit card exceeds $500. In this case, the credit card fraud is charged as a Class D felony. The consequences for this crime are a one to five year prison sentence and a fine of up to $5,000.

Phishing

Phishing occurs when someone tries to acquire electronic information about someone, such as their usernames and passwords, for certain websites or their credit card information. This can be done by pretending to be a trustworthy party such as a bank when engaging in electronic communication and enticing information out of an innocent party. This information is then used to defraud the victim.

Penalties

In the state of Connecticut, phishing is a Class D felony. This means that if convicted, a person will face up to $5,000 in fines and a prison sentence of one to five years.

As you can see, the penalties for phishing are severe. It is a good idea to establish a solid defense for yourself if you have been charged with this crime. You should try to prove that you did not do anything that constitutes this crime. A lawyer can review your situation and help you determine the best way to defend yourself.

Getting Help

If charged with credit card fraud or phishing, you need to get help. Chances are, you don’t know the details of this offense and how to defend yourself against the charge. Because of this, you should seek the help of a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible. A criminal defense lawyer can minimize the charges and consequences that you face by building a defense for you and protecting your rights.