A woman who worked for a Vermont car dealership was charged with credit card fraud. Trish Covey of Fairlee, Vermont, was indicted after U.S. Secret Service investigated claims made by the Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles. The defendant is charged for misusing her employer’s credit card, purchasing merchandise that totaled over $1,000. Covey has only been indicted on one charge dated in 2017, but court records show that she may have been committing fraud since 2008.
What is credit card fraud?: It’s considered a crime when an unauthorized person uses a credit or debit card to obtain money or property fraudulently. This can happen in numerous ways, including credit card information being stolen from an unsecured website, an individual’s information being stolen in an identity theft conspiracy, or as in the case with Ms. Covey. The latter is indicted for misusing her company’s credit card for personal usage.
Credit card fraud is a serious charge and our Burlington criminal lawyers are here to guide you and provide you with counseling if you should need it. If you have been charged with credit card fraud, contact us today for a confidential consultation.
The sentencing for such a charge includes the possibility of ten years in prison or a fine upwards of $250,000 if a defendant is found to have committed the crime. References to federal guidelines will determine an actual sentence, however. It’s important to emphasize that the defendant is considered innocent until a decision has been made in this case.
Credit card fraud impacts more than just the one charged with its crime. The impact can be felt by the victims of such crimes, surpassing just their finances. It can cause emotional and medical problems relating to the victimization. The victim’s privacy has been violated, and, in some cases, the perpetrator is someone they know. If the victim is on a fixed income due to circumstances such as a disability, or their age, they may not be able to recover their financial losses.
There are simple ways to prevent you from becoming a victim of credit card fraud. Guard your personal information and do not post sensitive information on social media. Choosing to use pay apps can be smart as they add an additional layer of protection.
When out and about, being on the lookout for skimmers before using your credit card and utilizing chip readers when you spend at the grocery store can help. Not hopping onto public WiFi can keep your information safe as well. Maybe the biggest thing you can do is review your credit card statement often to see if any charges raise red flags. These are all easy ways to protect yourself.
