Fort Bend County - Brazoria County - Harris County
Like forgery and other theft and property offenses, credit and debit card crimes are considered "crimes of moral turpitude." In other words, if you are convicted you will be viewed as a dishonest person by prospective employers, police officers and others who can access your criminal record. As a result, a conviction of a credit or debit card crime can prevent you from doing a lot of things for the rest of your life.
At the Law Office of John L. Venza Jr., I provide aggressive defense representation in many different types of criminal cases, including credit and debit card fraud. As a former prosecutor for the state of Texas, I pride myself on offering a unique perspective on how the other side will approach credit and debit card charges against you. Knowing how the other side prosecutes these cases will help me create a stronger defense.
Debit and Credit Card Fraud is a State Jail Felony
When you swipe someone else's credit or debit card one time, you are committing a state jail felony, punishable by significant fines and the possibility of jail time. There a number of credit or debit card offenses you may be charged with in Texas:
- Credit or debt card abuse, which is using someone else's card without permission.
- Corporate credit card abuse, which is using a company credit card above and beyond the uses for which you are permitted to use it
- Credit card transaction record laundering, which is presenting a fraudulent credit card transaction record of a sale
- Making false statements to obtain property or credit, which is lying on your application for a credit card or lying to bank
Other criminal offenses that are listed under the same section of the Texas penal code as credit and debit card fraud include:
- Hindering secured creditors, which is the rarely charged crime of taking a car out of state when there is a secured note against it
- Fraudulent transfer of a motor vehicle
Free Defense Lawyer Consultation
A conviction on credit or debit card fraud charges can have a major impact on the rest of your life. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you can be deported. For more information or to schedule a free consultation at my office conveniently located off Highway 59 in Sugar Land, Texas, please contact me, defense attorney John Venza Jr.
