Credit card theft in California has a penalty of jail time and a fine.
The short answer is jail time for credit card theft in California ranges from six months to one year. However, the detailed answer is more complex. The specific amount of time you may spend in county jail for a credit card theft in California depends on the severity and circumstances of your criminal case. For instance, credit card theft can be a petty or grand theft crime. The amount of county jail penalty is different for each crime.
The amount of jail time for credit card theft also depends on the type of offense you are accused of committing. In the state, it is illegal to knowingly use credit card information or a credit card to deceive anyone and obtain financial gain.
Credit Card Grand Theft Penalties
In California, grand theft is taking money or property valued at more than $950. You do not have to take the $950 at one time. You can face credit card grand theft if you allegedly took that amount over a six-month period. The months must, however, be consecutive. For example, this means you allegedly took $950 from January to June. Punishment for a grand theft crime is up to one year in county jail and a $1,000 fine.
Is There Jail Time for Credit Card Petty Theft?
Credit card petty theft is a less serious crime than a grand theft crime. It involves taking property or money valued under $950. If convicted, you may be sentenced to six months in county jail. A fine of $1,000 may also be part of the punishment.
Jail Time for Fraudulent Use of Account or Access Card
Fraudulent use of account information or a credit or debit card in California is illegal. The crime involves altering, stealing, forging, or counterfeiting a revoked or expired debit or credit card for financial gain. An expired or revoked credit or debit card means that the card is no longer valid.
You can be accused of changing the debt or credit card in some way to make it valid so you can obtain property, goods, services or money. If you are convicted of fraudulent use of account information or access card, the jail time depends on the amount of money you allegedly received in the process. It is six months in county jail if less than $950 was obtained by using a fraudulent credit card. It is one year in county jail if you receive more than $950 was obtained through fraudulent means.
Publishing Credit Card Information Convictions
According to California penal code 484j, it is illegal to publish credit card information. The term “publishing” refers to any type of communication such as written, verbal or online communication. It is illegal to communicate that information about a bank account or credit card such as ATM PIN numbers or banking account numbers. Publishing credit card information is a misdemeanor and publishable by six months in county jail.
Fraudulent Possession and Transfer of a Credit Card
To possess a credit card means to have another person’s credit card. To transfer a credit card means to knowingly give, receive or sell that person’s information without their consent. In California, this crime a is considered “wobbler.”
A wobbler means the state can charge you with a misdemeanor or felony. As a misdemeanor, fraudulent possession and transfer of a credit card has a county jail sentence of one year because it is grand theft. Depending on the circumstances and facts of the case, the crime can be a felony. A felony comes with prison time. If convicted of the felony fraudulent possession and transfer of a credit card, the punishment is three years in prison and $10,000 fine.
Forging Credit Card Information
If you are accused of forging credit card information, you may face a misdemeanor or felony charge. Forging credit card information involves signing another person’s name during a transaction without consent. It also includes presenting a counterfeit credit card or altering a debit card.
Misdemeanor forging credit card information is punishable by one year in county jail because it is considered grand theft. Depending on the facts of the situation and your prior criminal record, forging credit card information charges may be increased to a felony. Prison time for forging credit card information is three years in prison.
Conviction for Counterfeiting Credit Cards
Counterfeiting credit cards in California is a crime that refers to changing, altering or modifying any part of a credit or debit card with the intent to deceive. This means you are accused of changing the credit card to make a business or another individual believe it is a valid card. It also refers to trafficking, or making credit cards, with the intent to deceive and giving or selling them.
If convicted of a misdemeanor counterfeiting credit cards, it is at least one year in county jail. This crime is considered grand theft. A felony conviction is punishable by three years in prison.
Legal Defense For Credit Card Theft in California
Just because you are accused of credit card theft does not mean you will automatically be convicted of the crime. With the Simmrin Law Group representing you, we will aggressively fight the credit card charge for you. Contact our Los Angeles criminal defense lawyers immediately for help to avoid needless jail or prison time for a credit card theft charge.