Camden County NJ Credit Card Theft Lawyer
Criminal Defense Attorney with Offices in Collingswood, New Jersey
Credit Card Theft can expose a person to very serious consequences if convicted. Penalties can include jail time and payment of restitution to the alleged victim for the loss suffered. This is why you will need an aggressive and experienced defense attorney if you have been charged with credit card theft.
The criminal defense team at the the Law Offices of Leonard Biddison defends clients charged with theft related offenses such as burglary, credit card fraud, and shoplifting in New Jersey including Burlington and Camden County. With around 40 years of combined experience, our defense attorneys know what it takes to help get you the most desirable result in your case. In fact, one of our attorneys has handled countless theft related cases and has been featured in the Daily Record from Morris County as a result of his success in several of these cases. This sort of expertise can be extremely valuable in your case. The Law Offices of Leonard Biddison are available anytime for a free initial consultation to speak with you about your case. Call us today at 877-450-8301.
New Jersey Credit Card Theft Statute: N.J.S.A. 2C:21-6c
N.J.S.A. 2C:21-6c is New Jersey’s credit card theft statute. It provides:
a) A person who takes or obtains a credit card from the person, possession, custody or control of another without the cardholder’s consent or who, with knowledge that it has been so taken, receives the credit card with intent to use it or to sell it, or to transfer it to a person other than the issuer or the cardholder is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree. A person who has in his possession or under his control (a) credit cards issued in the names of two or more other persons OR (b) two or more stolen credit cards is presumed to have violated this paragraph.
b) A person who receives a credit card that he knows to have been lost, mislaid, or delivered under a mistake as to the identity or address of the cardholder, and who retains possession with intent to use it or to sell it or to transfer it to a person other than the issuer or the cardholder is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.
c) A person other than the issuer who sells a credit card or a person who buys a credit card from a person other than the issuer is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.
d) A person who, with intent to defraud the issuer, a person or organization providing money, goods, services or anything else of value, or any other person, obtains control over a credit card as security for debt is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.
e) A person who, with intent to defraud a purported issuer, a person or organization providing money, goods, services or anything else of value, or any other person, falsely make or falsely embossess a purported credit card or utters such a credit card is guilty of a third degree offense. A person other than the purported issuer who possesses two or more credit cards which are falsely made or falsely embossed is presumed to have violated this paragraph.
f) A person other than the cardholder or a person authorized by him who, with intent to defraud the issuer, or a person or organization providing money, goods, services or anything else of value, or any other person, signs a credit card, is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree. A person who possesses two or more credit cards which are so signed is presumed to have violated this paragraph.
Credit Card Theft Degrees and Penalties in New Jersey
Credit card theft can be either a third or fourth degree crime:
Third Degree – Can receive between 3 to 5 years in New Jersey State Prison
Fourth Degree – Can receive up to 18 months in New Jersey State Prison
Note: For some of the sections of the statute, there is not a mens rea requirement. This means that sometimes simply being in possession of a stolen credit card can be sufficient to convict a person of credit card theft.
Contact a Cherry Hill NJ Credit Card Theft Lawyer for a Free Consultation
The criminal defense attorneys at the Law Offices of Leonard Biddison are always available to speak with you about your case and begin to formulate an aggressive strategy to defend you against your credit card theft charge. Our criminal defense team understands the details of theft law in New Jersey and we will use this knowledge to help you best defend against these charges. Call us today at 877-450-8301 for a free initial consultation about your case.
