Orange County Credit Card Fraud Attorney

Defense for Fraud Charges in Orange County, California

Have you been accused of credit card fraud or of any offense related to credit card theft, forgery or counterfeiting? If so, an Orange County fraud defense lawyer at the Law Offices of Fred Thiagarajah can help. Our firm represents clients throughout all of Orange County in the face of credit card fraud charges as well as all other white collar crimes, and we have the knowledge, experience and resources to competently handle your case.

What is Credit Card Fraud?

Credit card fraud may include a number of acts related to credit and debit cards, including taking, selling, fraudulently obtaining, forging, selling or buying another's credit or debit card information, using one's own card with the knowledge that there are insufficient funds to cover the purchase, or selling goods or services with the knowledge that the card being used was fraudulently obtained.

State & Federal Penalties for Credit Card Fraud

If charged as a state crime, credit card fraud may be charged as petty theft or grand theft and may result in felony or misdemeanor charges, depending on the amount of money involved. If credit card fraud involves transactions valued at $400 or more, the defendant is likely to face felony grand theft charges. If the transactions are valued at less than $400, the defendant may face misdemeanor petty theft charges.

Credit card fraud may also be charged as a federal crime. These cases, however, typically involve interstate or international fraud, multiple cases or widespread credit card fraud, or using, creating or distributing counterfeit access devices (including any account number, PIN number, card, code, electronic serial number, or equipment that can be used to transfer funds or to obtain money, goods, or services). If charged as a federal offense, a defendant may face up to 10 or 20 years in prison and heavy fines.

For a free consultation regarding your charges, contact an Orange County credit card fraud attorney at the Law Offices of Fred Thiagarajah today.