Identity theft is the taking of what the statute calls “identifying information” about a specific person. That identifying information could be the person’s name, the person’s credit card number, information from their social security number, information from their driver’s license, information from a government-issued ID, bank account, or a password or username that a person uses to access certain information online.
Contacting a lawyer is imperative if a person is facing Virginia identity theft charges. A professional attorney can work to mitigate, reduce, or drop charges.
All of the above would be identifying information that the statute punishes if the stealing of that information takes place. The statute in question is 18.2-186.3 and it splits the crime of identity theft into three categories depending on the perpetrator’s purpose or the perpetrator’s intent. The categories include if the taking of information was done for the perpetrator’s own or third party’s use. Secondly, if identity theft was done with the intent to sell information to another person. Thirdly, if it was done for the purpose of interfering with a criminal investigation. There are also other charges that could be coupled with identity theft, including obstruction of justice, hindering an investigation, and things of that nature.
There are a lot of other offenses that could be coupled with identity theft, such as credit fraud or credit card theft, obstruction of justice, and larceny. Receiving additional charges can result in further penalties and consequences moving forward. If a bank account number was stolen, there could check fraud charges as well. Sometimes, the financial institution itself may spot some activity that looks suspicious to them and may report that to the police who then perform an investigation.
The individual charged should have an explanation of what took place including why the person took someone else’s identifying information. For example, a person could have had permission to use someone else’s credit card information.The individual should be able to tell the lawyers what happened in this case and be able to outline any detail as much as possible in order to discover what defenses might be available in this case. A person should be ready to tell their lawyers about witnesses or any evidence that could be presented and preserved ahead of a trial. If you have further inquiries involving penalties for Virginia identity theft charges, contact a professional lawyer.
This is a severe crime that can come with severe punishments. It is a fraud and a larceny case that involves the taking of something that does not belong to a person, and it can have very dire consequences. It can hinder a person’s ability to have certain jobs and other future aspirations because it is a crime of honesty or of moral turpitude. The hefty fines and the future consequences can be devastating, which is why it is important to contact a Virginia identity theft lawyer immediately.
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