ATM Fraud Attorneys
While ATM fraud is typically thought of and treated as an offense committed against the state, it will often be overseen by the government and tried at the federal level, since banks and other financial institutions are involved. ATM fraud is more of an umbrella term that includes charges such as larceny, identity theft, bank fraud, and others.
As is often the case with federal charges, you could be facing an especially long prison sentence if you end up getting convicted. The preferred method of defense is to plead not guilty and then mount your defense from there. However, there are situations where a plea deal could potentially be taken instead. Instead of representing yourself, reach out and find the best possible defense attorney for your case.
Along with the increased focus on fraud cases in recent years, the authorities have long had an oversized focus on prosecuting white-collar crime, with many defendants being used as a deterrent for other possible offenders, in the process receiving stiff fines and lengthy prison sentences. The Norman Spencer Law Group represents clients at any stage of the process, whether you’re simply facing a criminal investigation into ATM fraud or actual charges. No case is too big or small, too simple or complex for us.
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The Different Types of ATM Fraud
One example of ATM fraud is what’s known as ATM card skimming. This is a particularly sophisticated form of scamming, as it involves opening up an ATM in order to insert a card reader that can then steal the information of any card that’s inserted. With this data collected, the person or entity will then make duplicate versions of these stolen cards and then sell them at a profit.
A similar form of fraud is what’s known as ATM card theft. This can be as simple as someone coming up and stealing an ATM card from another person. Or, it can also be a setup where a device is inserted into the ATM that will lock a person’s card into that particular machine. From there, the card can then either be stolen outright, or a co-conspirator can note the person’s PIN number and then use that to access the stolen card.
Other types of ATM fraud include stealing the money that’s inside of the ATM or outright taking the machine itself. In general, scammers tend to prioritize the theft of debit cards over credit cards. This is because debit cards work by taking the cardholder’s money directly out of their account.
What Are the Penalties Involved with ATM Fraud?
As is the case with many other crimes, ATM fraud is more of an umbrella term that covers a number of charges. One of these charges is bank fraud. Bank fraud is prosecuted especially harshly considering that the entity being scammed is a financial institution. Identity theft is when a scammer uses someone else’s information to either steal the funds themselves or sell this information to a third party who can then profit from the theft of the funds.
Another common charge is larceny. This charge involves the general theft of someone’s personal property. The charge of larceny is typically prosecuted at the state level, but there are exceptions to this. The prosecution of these crimes at either the state or federal level tends to depend on the severity of the crime.
Since ATM fraud impacts financial institutions as well as individuals, the penalties involved tend to be especially harsh. Another thing to take into account is the fact that there are several charges under the umbrella term of ATM fraud, and any one of those charges can result in years of prison time. When these charges are compounded, the situation is even worse for a defendant.
How Do I Find The Best ATM Fraud Lawyer?
With maximum sentences that can be as high as a decade or more, it’s definitely not recommended that you try to represent yourself. This would be the case with any charge, but it’s especially important in cases that involve financial fraud. You might be tempted to go with the first choice that you find while looking for the right lawyer or legal firm for your case. Unfortunately, all lawyers and firms aren’t equal.
The first thing you need to consider is the overall experience of the legal firm you’re going with. Not only do they need to have years of expertise at handling cases just like yours, but they need to have a proven track record of success. On top of that, they need to be well-versed in the federal court process, as your average state-level attorney will be out of their element when it comes to the proceedings and stakes involved with your average federal case.
Why the Norman Spencer Law Group?
The Norman Spencer Law Group has a combined 70+ years of experience handling cases of nearly every size and type, and complexity is not an issue for our attorneys either. Not only do we have a proven track record of success, but we have extensive experience at both the state and the federal levels.
At Norman Spencer, we believe that everyone deserves 1:1 service and focus for their case and needs, and that starts right at the beginning for us. We have a variety of accessibility options, including remote legal consultations that we can host for you via Zoom, Skype, and even Google Duo. On top of that, we can get one of our representatives out to you if needed, no matter where you might be located within the country. So if you’re facing any sort of legal trouble, get in touch with us as soon as possible. Someone from our team will be in touch right away and get started on getting you the help that you need.