Mississippi Credit and Debit Card Fraud

Mississippi has several laws that criminalize credit and debit card fraud. These laws are contained in the Mississippi Credit Card Crime Act and generally make it illegal to use another person's credit card in order to steal money, goods, or services. This act also makes it illegal to lie on a credit card application, forge credit cards, or lie to an issuer about what goods or services have been provided. The following chart highlights Mississippi's main credit and debit card fraud laws.

Code Section

Mississippi Code of Law section 97-19-5 through 97-19-29: Mississippi Credit Card Crime Act

Definitions

Credit Card: Any instrument or device (whether known as a credit card, credit plate or by any other name) issued to a cardholder in order to obtain money, goods, property, services, or anything else of value on credit.

Issuer: Any organization that issues a credit card.

Cardholder: The person or organization named on the face of a credit card.

What's Prohibited?

Using False Statements to Procure a New Credit Card:

Making a false statement about someone's identity with the intent that it will be relied upon for the purpose of issuing a new credit card

Credit Card Theft:

Illegally taking a credit card without the cardholder's consent, or
Knowingly receiving a stolen credit card with the intent to use, sell or transfer the card

Buying, Selling, or Receiving Credit Cards:

Buying or selling a credit card (by anyone other than the issuer), or
Receiving two or more credit cards issued in someone else's name within any consecutive 12 month period where the violator had reason to know that the cards where stolen

Controlling a Credit Card as Security for Debt:

Obtaining control over a credit card as security for debt with the intent to defraud

Forgery:

Falsely making, altering, or embossing a card purporting to be a credit card with the intent to defraud, or
Possessing two or more incomplete credit cards with the fraudulent intent to complete them

Signing with the Intent to Defraud:

Signing a credit card without the cardholder's authorization

Fraudulently Using a Credit Card:

Using a credit card that was fraudulently obtained, retained, or forged with the intent to defraud
Obtaining anything else of value by falsely representing that you are the cardholder, falsely representing that you are the cardholder of a card that hasn't been issued, or falsely representing that you have been authorized to use the credit card, or
Using a credit card to operate an ATM with the intent to defraud

Provider Credit Card Fraud:

Providers (or their agents) furnishing something of value upon presentation of a credit card that he knows is being fraudulently used, or
Providers (or their agents) representing to an issuer that something of value was provided to a cardholder when in fact it wasn't provided

What to Do If You're a Victim

Notify your credit card company immediately. After you report that your credit card has been stolen you aren't responsible for any additional fraudulent charges that are made on the card.

You can also report the credit card fraud to a law enforcement agency. Victims in Mississippi can report credit card fraud to the Consumer Protection Division of the Attorney General's Office at 601-359-4230.

Additional Resources

State laws change frequently. For case specific information regarding Mississippi's credit and debit card fraud contact a local consumer protection attorney or criminal defense lawyer.