Internet Fraud
The Internet allows people to handle several of life's requirements much more easily and efficiently, and the majority of individuals in the 'developed' world now deal with their finances, travel plans, correspondence and shopping in general via the Internet, which was not possible in the recent past.
Unfortunately, the development of the Internet has also created additional opportunities for those who so choose to commit Internet fraud, and in general, Internet fraud is basically the same as 'traditional' fraud, except that the Internet is the medium by which it is committed. Below is a brief overview of the types of Internet fraud that tend to occur, but if you are facing this situation as a potential defendant, contact our New York criminal defense attorneys today to schedule an initial consultation.
Credit Card Fraud
People can now apply for and manage their credit card accounts online, and credit card companies need to offer this capability in order to stay competitive. However, people can also open new credit card accounts or use someone else's accounts fraudulently, as transactions occur in real-time and there is no face-to-face contact that allows the merchant to check identification or to gain a 'feel' for how the person is handling the situation.
Mortgage Fraud
As is the case with credit card companies, mortgage companies now also allow people to shop for and even apply for mortgages online, but much like any other financial transaction, it's possible to defraud the mortgage companies with falsified information or by using someone else's information in order to gain approval for a mortgage.
Identity Theft
People are asked to provide personal and sensitive information regularly in an online environment, and not all of the companies who ask for and store this information take every step possible to protect this information. Financial information, medical histories and the like are all stored on servers somewhere, and that's by nature an opportunity for someone to hack into a system and to use that information for personal gain.
Internet Fraud Consequences
While every state has some sort of Internet fraud statute on its books, many of these crimes are prosecuted by the federal government, as any transactions or commissions of crimes that involve more than one state or territory become the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice, the FBI and the US Attorney's office if prosecuted.
If this sounds familiar, contact the Blanch Law Firm today to schedule an initial consultation, as you could face many years in prison and enormous fines if you are convicted.
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