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205-981-2450
The advent of the Internet has made certain white collar crimes possible where before they were not, or much easier to commit than they once were. Unfortunately, the law is slow to catch up, and some law enforcement agencies are still not sure how to handle Internet-based white-collar crimes. Internet crimes that are considered white-collar include many nonviolent financial crimes, such as:
Contact Alabama Criminal Lawyers today at (205) 981-2450 for a free consultation.
Because commerce on the Internet almost always crosses state lines, Internet fraud is usually charged as a federal Internet fraud crime — even if you never left Alabama. These are very serious crimes that carry up to 20 years in prison for a first offense. In addition, in many cases, authorities may also seize property they believe was used in or purchased with proceeds from the alleged fraud. However, you may be charged with identity theft or other types of theft by fraud under Alabama state law.
Frequently, Internet fraud charges are the result of a long-term investigation by law enforcement officers. You may be called in for questioning by people who are deliberately vague about what they’re investigating. Because they know white-collar professionals have a lot to lose, they may try to use their power to pressure you into cooperating. Even if they say you aren’t the target, you should politely decline to speak with them until an Alabama Internet fraud lawyer is by your side.
Anything you say to law enforcement can be used against you later, so it’s crucial to protect your rights now. We can help you understand what charges and consequences you’re facing; decide what to do about them; and eliminate or minimize the negative consequences of being swept up in an Internet fraud criminal case.
If you’ve been charged with an Internet fraud crime, chances are that law enforcement has spent months investigating and building a case against you. They may have also “bundled” the Internet fraud charges with related charges like mail fraud, wire fraud or money laundering. That may sound intimidating, but it can be an advantage if law enforcement was sloppy with its investigation.
Alabama Criminal Lawyers will aggressively challenge unauthorized wiretaps; illegal searches or seizure of your property; false charges that stem from a lack of understanding of computers; or weak, circumstantial evidence that you were involved in any fraud. Remember, the prosecution must prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt in order to win at trial. We can make them work for it.
Even if you believe you must plead guilty, we can help. Because Internet white-collar crimes are nonviolent crimes, and often first offenses, the chances are good that we can negotiate to get you a lighter alternative sentence, such as county jail or time served; parole or supervised release; home detention; electronic monitoring; or work release.
As identity theft is increasingly focused on in the news, law enforcement has also begun to enforce and punish a greater amount of identity theft cases. The Bureau of Justice reports that 17.6 million individuals experienced identity theft in 2014.
Identity theft is actually a broad category of activity that includes the improper use of another’s identity for fraudulent purposes. When individuals face an identity theft charge, it often proves essential to contact an experienced Alabama identity theft lawyer to help defend against these accusations.
In addition to the services of experienced legal counsel, there are also some essential things that individuals should know concerning identity theft charges in the state of Alabama.
There are actually several types of activity that constitute identity theft including the following: check forgery, claiming the rights of a minor to obtain certain advantages, counterfeiting, cyber scams, false use of credit cards, forgery, mail theft, posing as another individual when caught committing a crime, and using another person’s identity in order to obtain medical treatment.
In the state of Alabama, an individual is found to commit identity theft when the individual uses identifying information to assist in obtaining financial resources, uses goods or services by wielding the identity of a victim, or obtains any type of documentation in a victim’s name. For identity theft to be charged, an individual must perform any of these activities without the consent of the victim and with the intent to defraud.
The term “identity information” includes several categories like credit card numbers, date of birth, driver’s license number, financial services account details, fingerprints, name, social security number, passwords, and a variety of other types of information.
Identity theft is punished as a Class C felony in the state of Alabama, which means that an individual charged with identity theft could face between one to ten years in state prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
Many individuals who are charged with identity theft know well in advance that an arrest is likely. A charge of identity theft often occurs after a thorough investigation by law enforcement. By retaining the services of legal counsel early, an individual greatly decreases the potential for negative consequences to result from an identity theft charge.
There are several ways that an individual can defend against an identity theft charge. If an individual obtained identity information from an individual but never intended to use this information for fraud then an individual is not guilty of committing identity theft. In other situations, a skilled identity theft lawyer can help individuals mitigate the charges brought against an individual in order to obtain the best potential results.
If you or a loved one faces identity theft charges in the state of Alabama, it is important to contact an experienced identity theft lawyer to ensure that immediately begin minimizing the severity of any potential charges.
If you’ve been charged with a federal or Alabama state Internet fraud crime — or believe you’re under investigation — don’t say a word to law enforcement until you speak with Alabama Criminal Lawyers. We believe that everyone, no matter what the charges against them, is entitled to an aggressive and thorough defense.
We defend clients in Birmingham and throughout Alabama who have been charged with Internet fraud and other serious crimes. And because we offer free consultations, there’s never a risk in discussing your case and your legal options.
Contact Alabama Criminal Lawyers today at (205) 981-2450 for a free consultation.