Credit Card Fraud

Have you or someone you know been charged with robbery, burglary, and credit card fraud anywhere in New Jersey including Monmouth County, Middlesex County, Mercer County, and Ocean County? The Moriarty Law Firm handles criminal and traffic offenses throughout the State of New Jersey. Contact us now at (732) 842-7773 for a free initial consultation regarding your credit card fraud charges.

New Jersey Credit Card Fraud Law: N.J.S.A. 2C:21-6

In New Jersey, the law governing credit card fraud is set forth in N.J.S.A. 2C:21-6. This is an extremely extensive statute and must be broken down into the different offenses. Section (a) contains the definitions of different terms used in the statute. Section (b) governs “False Statements in the Issuance of a Credit Card”. Section (c) governs “Credit Card Theft”. Section (d) governs charges where the “Intent of the Cardholder to Defraud”. Section (e) governs “Intent to Defraud by Persons

Authorized to Furnish Money, Goods, or Services”. Section (f) governs “Incomplete Credit Cards and the Intent to Complete Without Consent”. Section (g) governs “Receiving Anything of Value Knowing it was Obtained in Violation of Section (d)”.

Finally, Section (h) governs the “Fraudulent Use of Credit Cards”.

N.J.S.A. 2C:21-6(a): Definitions

(1) “Cardholder” means the person or organization named on the face of a credit card to whom or for whose benefit the credit card is issued by an issuer.

(2) “Credit card” means any tangible or intangible instrument or device issued with or without fee by an issuer that can be used, alone or in connection with another means of account access, in obtaining money, goods, services or anything else of value on credit, including credit cards, credit plates, account numbers, or any other means of account access.

(3) “Expired credit card” means a credit card which is no longer valid because the term shown either on it or on documentation provided to the cardholder by the issuer has elapsed.

(4) “Issuer” means the business organization or financial institution which issues a credit card or its duly authorized agent.

(5) “Receives” or “receiving” means acquiring possession or control or accepting a credit card as security for a loan.

(6) “Revoked credit card” means a credit card which is no longer valid because permission to use it has been suspended or terminated by the issuer.

The Most Common Credit Card Fraud Charge: N.J.S.A. 2C:21-6(f)

The most frequent charge for credit card fraud we encounter as New Jersey criminal defense lawyers is contained in N.J.S.A. 2C:21-6(f) which provides:

h. Fraudulent use of credit cards.

A person who knowingly uses any counterfeit, fictitious, altered, forged, lost, stolen or fraudulently obtained credit card to obtain money, goods or services, or anything else of value; or who, with unlawful or fraudulent intent, furnishes, acquires, or uses any actual or fictitious credit card, whether alone or together with names of credit cardholders, or other information pertaining to a credit card account in any form, is guilty of a crime of the third degree.

Call today to speak to a qualified NJ Credit Card Fraud Defense Lawyer anytime at (732) 842-7773.

We Handle All Levels of Criminal Charges

Drug charges can be handled in either Municipal or Superior court. The more severe the criminal charges the more likely they are to be handled in Superior Court, while minor charges are typically resolved in Municipal Court. We have a well deserved reputation for being the best in both arenas.

The severity of your charges is a determination made by the State and is usually based on the weight of the drugs and a variety of other factors. Penalties will vary based on the degree of the crime and whether or not there was a criminal conspiracy involved.

Call (732) 842-7773 to speak with one of the Moriartys 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to discuss your charges or you can contact us by e-mail to schedule a free initial consultation.