You’re accused of fraud: What defense options do you have?

Fraud happens when one person deceives another for their own gain. Fraud can take multiple forms, including forging documents or signatures, writing a bad check, making a false insurance claim or using another person’s identity or credit card without their consent.

If you have been accused of fraud, it is important that you understand the nature of the charge you are facing in order to come up with the most appropriate defense strategy. Remember, every case is unique.

Here are some of the defense strategies you can consider if you have been accused of fraud:

Mistaken identity

With the emergence of social media, Internet banking and e-commerce, it is common for fraud to happen online – and a hasty investigation can lead the authorities to you by mistake.

If you have been accused of a crime that you did not commit, you can claim mistaken identity by providing an alibi or any other evidence to prove that you had nothing to do with the fraud.

Entrapment

An overzealous officer can present you with an opportunity to commit fraud and even encourage you to actually commit the crime, all with the intention of arresting and convicting you. That’s called entrapment.

If you can prove that you were pressured or tricked to commit fraud, then you can use this as an affirmative defense in court.

Fraud is a very serious offense. If you have been accused of defrauding someone or some entity, it is important that you explore your defense options so you can fight the charges against you. Never assume that the case against you is as solid as the prosecution would have you believe.