Conspiring to commit state credit card fraud is a serious crime. By going over the penalties for this crime, and speaking with an experienced Chicago credit card fraud defense lawyer, you will be able to protect your innocence.
What Is Credit Card Fraud?
Credit card fraud is a crime that involves someone stealing another person’s credit card and then using that credit card to purchase items that the individual who stole the card intends to keep.
Just as an example, if someone takes your credit card from your purse and then uses it to purchase a computer, then that would be credit card fraud if you didn’t give them permission to do any of that.
A conspiracy to commit credit card fraud is an agreement between two or more people, followed by an action that furthers this agreement to commit an act of credit card fraud.
If two people agree to steal credit card information from a business, and purchase equipment that allows them to do so, then they could be charged with a conspiracy to commit credit card fraud.
Outside of what has been clarified above, there are many other forms of credit card fraud. Though the above are some of the most common.
What Are The Penalties For A Conspiracy Charge?
On its own, a conspiracy charge comes with the following penalties:
- A period of five years in prison.
- A fine that is dependent on the profit or loss created by the conspiracy.
Regarding the first penalty, this is only true if you are charged with a conspiracy and nothing else.
You can be charged with a conspiracy, as well as the crime that you are accused of.
Just as an example, if you are charged with a conspiracy to commit credit card fraud, you may also be charged with:
- A conspiracy to commit credit card fraud
- The act of credit card fraud itself
Since you will have several charges, this allows for a bigger sentence.
What Are The Penalties For A Credit Card Fraud Charge?
The penalties for a credit card fraud charge are as follows:
- A prison sentence of no more than ten years.
- A fine of no more than $10,000.
Some of the crimes that underlie a credit card fraud charge are as follows:
- Furnishing money, property, or services with an illegally obtained credit card.
- Transporting illegally obtained credit cards across state lines.
- Relying on interstate commerce to sell illegally obtained credit cards.
A wide variety of other crimes can and do apply to credit card fraud charges. The above are some of the most common.
Get Qualified Legal Help
If you are arrested for conspiracy to commit credit card fraud, you may be charged with conspiracy and credit card fraud, depending on your case. Given the seriousness of these offenses and their penalties, you must obtain legal help as soon as possible.
When you need an attorney, experience matters. Our team has helped thousands of people who have been charged with crimes like conspiracy to commit credit card fraud. When we take cases, we do so to win. This means we take cases to trial. We don’t arrange plea bargains unless it is in the best interest of our clients. As proactive lawyers, we fight aggressively and support our clients throughout their entire case, including appeals. Protecting your life and freedom is always the goal, and with our decades of experience practicing law, we know how to get results. This is why we are regularly invited to appear as legal experts on popular radio and news outlets, including CNN, NBC, and Fox.
Speak with our Chicago federal criminal defense attorneys today to learn how our experience can get you the outcome you deserve.