Fraud Overview

Fraud occurs when a dishonest person or company cheats to gain advantage over another person or company.  It is a crime punishable under both criminal and civil laws. Identity theft is one of the most common forms of fraud and happens when someone uses your personal information to access your financial accounts, or to ruin your credit. Consumer fraud, also common, happens when someone misrepresents what they're selling, deceives you about an investment, or makes you pay bogus fees. Insurance companies suffer fraud when people turn in false claims, and the government may report tax fraud when someone files a false tax return. If you think you've been the target of fraud—or if you've been accused of committing fraud—a fraud lawyer can help you.