A financial crime involving the unauthorized or fraudulent use of a credit card or credit card information to obtain goods, services, or cash. This can encompass a range of activities, such as using a lost or stolen card, making purchases without the cardholder’s consent, or employing counterfeit cards. An example of this type of crime would be someone using another person’s credit card number, obtained through illicit means, to purchase electronics online without the cardholder’s knowledge or permission.
Prosecution of this type of offense serves to protect individuals and financial institutions from financial loss and identity theft. Laws against such activities have evolved in response to the increasing sophistication of fraudulent schemes and the growth of electronic commerce. The existence of these laws deters potential offenders and provides a legal framework for addressing the consequences of unauthorized credit card use.