Not all cases of fraud are intentional. That might seem impossible, but it’s true.
With cases of friendly credit card fraud, a person might accidentally use a credit card, or its terms, in an illegal way. Here’s a little more about friendly fraud and why it can lead to jail time and other harsh penalties.
What is friendly credit card fraud?
Friendly credit card fraud is fraud that happens accidentally or unintentionally. For example, did you know that using a fake credit card number to sign up for a trial online could end up getting you into trouble? The sites that sell those credit card numbers may say that they’re not real, but some fake credit cards are real. As a result, you could end up charging money to someone else’s card. Even if it’s not a real card that you’re using, you’ll be breaking the terms of anything you were signing up for if you use a fake card.
Disputing your own credit card charges is another big no-no that can lead to legal consequences. Chargeback fraud is also called friendly fraud, because it happens when consumers make purchases and then request a refund for fraud. The bank then issues the refunds, but the consumers keep the products.
Sometimes, this can be an honest mistake by forgetting about a purchase or not recognizing a company’s withdrawal. Other times, it’s intentional, which could lead to jail time if you’re caught. If you find that you’re being accused of fraud when you made an innocent mistake, it’s important that you take steps to protect yourself.
