Fraud

Florida criminalizes a number of different types of fraudulent activity. Among the types of fraud prosecuted in Florida are Fraudulent Use of Personal Identification Information, Credit Card Fraud, Insurance Fraud, Medicaid Fraud, Public Assistance Fraud, Unemployment Fraud, Motor Vehicle Fraud, Worker’s Compensation Fraud, Mortgage Fraud, and Securities Fraud. Fraudulent Use of Personal Identification Information is one of the most common fraud charges prosecuted in Palm Beach County. It is a crime to willfully and without authorization fraudulently use personal identification information of another without the person’s consent. Depending on the amount of the loss and whether or not the victim is alive or deceased, this crime can range from a third degree felony, punishable by up to 5 years in prison, to a first degree felony, punishable by up to 30 years in prison.

In order to charge a person with fraud, the Government has to prove that the conduct was done “fraudulently.” Under Florida law, “fraudulently” means purposely or intentionally suppressing the truth or perpetrating a deception. It is important for a person charged with the crime of fraud to have an attorney who is well versed in the different types of fraud crimes and how to defend each specific type of fraud.

Forgery and Uttering a Forgery

Forgery involves falsely making, altering, or counterfeiting an item with the intent to injure or defraud someone. It is a third degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison. It is also a crime to present as true a false, forged, or altered document knowing that it’s forged or altered with the intent to injure or defraud any person. This constitutes the crime of Uttering a Forgery. This charge most often arises in the context of forged checks that are presented to a store, a bank, or another person. Uttering a Forgery is a third degree felony, punishable by up to 5 years in prison.