5 Types of Fraud Cases a Fraud Lawyer Can Handle
Fraud can be defined as a deliberately tricky activity done by someone or a group of people, planned illegally to deny the right to a victim. Fraud is an activity that involves deceiving another person with the intention of illegal extortion. Under law, fraud is an unlawful offence done to deprive someone of his or her legal right. Any party apprehended due to fraudulent activity will face serious penalties.
Every year, fraud costs the economy billions and the perpetrators of this act are made to pay fines or serve jail time. Victims of fraud are likely to sue perpetrators to have their funds recovered, with the help of a fraud lawyer. If it’s not a monetary case, then victims can sue to get back their rights.
Who is a fraud lawyer?
We can define a fraud lawyer as an attorney that prosecutes or defends cases in which his client is accused of engaging in fraudulent activity that has caused economic harm to others and the country.
A fraud lawyer is an attorney who understands the core of fraud convictions and can help you make important decisions that will impact your criminal trial in court. A fraud lawyer uses their technical expertise and experience to identify the causes and trace the outlines of offences carried out against the victim before the victim can do so.
Duties of a fraud lawyer
- Their main objective is to settle cases as quickly as possible, in the favour of the defendant.
- They represent their clients at hearings and trials in the court of law.
- They provide pieces of evidence to a judge if ever the case is tried.
- They make legal documents ready, including legal briefs and appeals.
- They take pride in making negotiations in regards to punishment and settlements.
5 Types of Cases a Fraud Lawyer Can Handle
Here are some cases that can be handled by your fraud lawyer;
1) Credit Card Fraud
This is a common form of fraud that occurs when someone dubiously gets and uses someone else’s credit card. It is also taken as a part of identity theft. This fraud takes place when users without authorization gain access to another person’s credit card information to make purchases and transactions. Examples of credit card fraud are new account fraud and cloned cards.
About 127 million Americans have been victims of this theft at least once in their lifetime. Artificial Intelligence can be used to detect this kind of activity. The penalty for this fraud differs according to the law in the state in which it occurs. Some states might consider It to be a felony, while others may regard it as a misdemeanour.
If regarded as a misdemeanour, the penalty will be 6 months in jail and a fine of $1,000. If the crime is regarded as a felony by the state, the penalty is 3 years imprisonment in a state prison.
To protect yourself from this fraud, you should be careful with whom you share personal information. Do away with old bank statements, be mindful of phone scams, and whenever you suspect something fishy, take action immediately and report it.
2) Internet Fraud
This fraud cuts across a wide range of criminal activities, from hacking into a computer network to defrauding someone. Defrauding includes altering or wiping of records, having access to people’s, or a person’s financial information and other things of value to them.
Types of internet fraud are employment fraud, investment fraud, and financial scams. According to a report from the FBI’s investigation of internet crime, the Internet Crime Complaint Center was said to have received about ( three hundred thousand) 300,000 complaints in 2017. In their report, these victims completely lost over $1.4 billion in the 2017 online fraud.
Internet fraud offences can be prosecuted under both state and federal law. Federal law is a harsh law that serves such perpetrators with up to 20 years of imprisonment. It also stated that if by chance that fraud led to any emergency disaster or natural disaster, then the sentence would increase to 30 years.
3) Identity Theft Fraud
This is a crime whereby someone illegally accesses another person’s data and uses it in a way that involves fraud solely for economic gain. This fraud is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the nation. Perpetrated just to rob their victims of time, money, and peace of mind.
These thieves use the internet often, but they can also acquire sensitive personal data from scams, trash cans, and other exposed locations. Identity theft is a federal crime and a felony under federal law. The penalty for identity theft fraud includes up to 15 years imprisonment, with heavy fines.
4) Forgery Fraud
Forgery is the use of false writing. It occurs in forms such as signing another person’s name on a cheque or faking one’s academic transcript.
It is a serious offence, punishable as a felony in all states and the federal government.
Forgery is stated to be a white-collar crime that refers to the false making of a legal instrument to defraud someone else. The punishment for forgery fraud is three years imprisonment.
5) Mail Fraud
This fraud is stated to be a crime under federal law. People involved in mail fraud are defendants who have plans to defraud someone and use the mail system.
The U.S. postal service, and many other commercial interstate delivery services, make up the mail delivery system.
Fraud can occur in different aspects of individual lives and the economy as a whole. It is more rampant in the business world. It can occur once or more than once, and when it does, it can cost a company millions. Companies are exposed to various types of business fraud:
- Account fraud
- Payroll fraud
- Business emails forgery
- Credit card scam.
Conclusion
Getting rid of fraudulent activities might not be easy, but by protecting your accounts well, and making sure to be alert when it comes to all your transactions, you can protect yourself.
Getting a fraud lawyer is needed when faced with such a heart-wrenching experience; with their experience and expertise, you know justice will be served.