Fairfax, VA Fraud Defense Lawyers

Aggressive Virginia Attorneys Defending Against Fraud Charges in Fairfax

Fraud is a sub-category of white collar crime, encompassing offenses related to deceiving or otherwise illegally depriving another person of money or property. Although these are non-violent crimes, Virginia law takes allegations of financial crimes just as seriously as other offenses. As such, it is in your best interests to meet with a criminal defense attorney if you are up against fraud charges.

At Robinson Law, PLLC, we defend clients against fraud charges at the state and federal level. With over 50 years of combined experience, our lawyers have the requisite skill and legal knowledge to contest allegations of fraud in court. We will fight for the best possible verdict in your case, exhausting all possible avenues in your defense.

Credit Card Fraud

In Virginia, you can be charged with credit card fraud for a number of different infractions, such as:

• Using another person's credit card without their consent to secure services, goods, money, or other valuable items.
• Using an expired or revoked credit card to secure goods, services, and/or money.
• Taking a credit card as collateral for someone else's debt.
• Securing a cash advance with a credit card that you know will go above the card's limits.

The penalties for a charge of credit card fraud depend on how much the fraud cost the victim or victims. An offense may be classified as either a misdemeanor or a felony.

Forgery

The crime of forgery in Virginia refers to falsifying a document so as to defraud or injure another person. This includes trying to get another person's signature with the intent to steal from that person. This offense is charged as a Class 5 felony punishable by one to 10 years in prison. An important term to note in laws about forgery is "uttering," which refers to using or attempting to use a forged document.

Embezzlement

Embezzlement refers to the act of misappropriating funds entrusted to you by another person or institution for your own personal gain. In Virginia, embezzlement is charged as larceny, and it may be prosecuted the same as if you had shoplifted from a store. The severity of an embezzlement charge depends on the value of the fraud:

• For embezzlement of money or property valued under $1,000, you will be charged with petit larceny, a Class 1 misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a possible $2,500 fine.
• For embezzlement of money or property valued at $1,000 or higher, you will be charged with grand larceny, a Class 5 felony punishable by up to twenty years in prison plus fines.

Identity Theft

You can be charged with identity theft for impersonating someone else with the intent to defraud them or another party by using their personal information. This includes assuming a dead person's identity. Similar to larceny, the sentencing guidelines for identity theft depend on how much was allegedly stolen. If the value of money or property misappropriated through identity theft amounted to less than $1,000, the crime is charged as a Class 1 misdemeanor, but charges will increase to a Class 6 felony in cases involving amounts above $1,000.

The penalties increase if multiple people had their identifying information stolen. If five or more people were subject to identity theft, then the charge increases to a Class 5 felony. If 50 or more people were victimized, then it further escalates to a Class 4 felony.

Meet With a Fairfax, Virginia Fraud Attorney

You should not take fraud charges lightly in Virginia. Depending on the exact nature of the offense, you could be sentenced to years in prison and face thousands of dollars in fines. At Robinson Law, PLLC, our Fairfax criminal defense attorneys know just how complex these cases can be, and we are prepared to carry out a comprehensive investigation with the help of financial experts to protect your best interests. To schedule a free consultation today, call our offices at 703-844-3746 or contact us online.