When you think of bank fraud, you may either imagine high-profile cases where white-collar criminals take advantage of a bank or when a large financial institution is accused of corruption for taking advantage of customers. However, many other types of bank fraud also exist. If you were arrested for bank fraud, speak with a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible to protect your rights. Handling misdemeanor or felony offenses on your own can lead to costly fines, probation, or incarceration.
San Diego bank fraud attorney Pedro Bernal at Bernal Law has helped countless clients obtain favorable outcomes in criminal defense cases, including misdemeanor and felony bank fraud charges. With almost a decade of prosecutor experience, he knows the legal strategies to build a solid defense for dismissing or lessening the penalties you face.
What Is Bank Fraud?
Bank fraud refers to the act of intentionally engaging in fraudulent activities with the intent to obtain money, assets, property, or other valuables from a bank or financial institution through deceitful means. This type of fraud involves various tactics designed to manipulate or deceive financial institutions for personal gain.
The following are common examples of bank fraud:
- Check Fraud: Writing or altering checks with the intent to defraud. This includes forging signatures, altering the payee or amount, or creating counterfeit checks.
- Identity Theft: Using stolen personal information to access bank accounts, obtain loans, or carry out transactions without the victim’s consent or knowledge.
- Account Takeover: Illegally gaining access to someone else’s bank account, often through hacking or phishing, and conducting unauthorized transactions.
- Loan Fraud: Providing false or misleading information on loan applications to secure loans that the applicant would not otherwise qualify for.
- Credit Card Fraud: Using stolen credit card information to make unauthorized purchases or withdraw funds.
- ATM Fraud: Tampering with ATMS to steal card information or using stolen cards to make unauthorized withdrawals.
- Wire Fraud: Engaging in fraudulent activities through electronic communication, such as email or phone, to deceive individuals or businesses into transferring money to fraudulent accounts.
- Insider Fraud: Employees of banks or financial institutions misuse their access and knowledge to engage in fraudulent activities, such as embezzlement or unauthorized transfers.
- Mortgage Fraud: Providing false information or misrepresenting the facts on mortgage applications to secure loans for properties.
- Phishing: Sending deceptive emails or messages that appear to be from legitimate financial institutions, aiming to con the recipient into providing sensitive information like account numbers and passwords.
If you have been accused of bank fraud, seek the legal guidance of a knowledgeable San Diego bank fraud lawyer at Bernal Law to understand your legal options.
What Are the Penalties for Bank Fraud?
If an individual is convicted of bank fraud, the offender may face imprisonment of up to 30 years and up to a $1,000,000 fine. Additionally, a bank fraud allegation may also seriously degrade your reputation and credibility, making it challenging to seek employment in the future.
While no criminal offense is met with lax prosecution, all federal crimes, especially bank fraud, are prosecuted to the full extent of the law and on a highly public scale. Therefore, it is imperative to seek a highly qualified criminal defense lawyer to aggressively defend your legal rights and freedom.
How a Bank Fraud Lawyer in San Diego Can Help Your Case
A bank fraud lawyer in San Diego can provide invaluable assistance to clients facing bank fraud allegations, including the following:
- Case evaluation and analysis
- Building a strong defense
- Investigating evidence
- Negotiating with prosecutors
- Protecting your legal rights
- Representing you in court
It’s essential to remember that just because you are accused of bank fraud does not mean you are guilty. Like any other crime, you are innocent until proven guilty. Fraud is a crime of intent, which means if prosecutors cannot show that you intended to defraud other parties, then there is reasonable doubt that you intended to break the law.
Also, your San Diego bank fraud attorney may argue you acted in good faith. If your San Diego bank fraud attorney can demonstrate you believed your actions to be legitimate and legal, then it stands to reason you did not intend to defraud anyone. At Bernal Law, we evaluate your case to determine your best defense strategy to fight the allegations against you.
Contact the Experienced San Diego Bank Fraud Lawyer at Bernal Law
The legal guidance of an experienced San Diego bank fraud lawyer is imperative if you are facing bank fraud allegations. The complexities of white-collar crimes require knowledgeable and fierce legal advocacy. As a former Deputy District Attorney in the San Diego District Attorney’s Office, Attorney Pedro Bernal has prosecuted complex white-collar crimes and fraud cases. With our extensive experience, we can increase your chances of securing a successful outcome for your case.
Contact us today by calling (619) 736-9092 or filling out a contact form. We are fluent in English and Spanish.
