Facing fraud charges can be stressful, especially if you don’t have a good criminal lawyer to build a strong defence and represent you in court.
Fraud is a broad umbrella term used for acts of intentional deception committed through misconduct, misrepresentation, theft, and false statements. But fraud charges are also often the product of misunderstandings or mistakes and can be peacefully resolved in court.
Most fraud cases are usually categorized in terms of their severity, and the penalty for fraud is typically fines and restitution. However, you may suffer severe financial loss if you do not have a strong case to support your defence.
How Can A Criminal Lawyer Help In Fraud Cases?
A criminal lawyer or defence attorney formulates strategies to throw doubt on the prosecutor’s argument and turn the fraud case in your favour. Here’s a list of possible defences a criminal lawyer can use to help you with fraud cases:
1. Misunderstanding
Misunderstandings between two parties are the number one reason for most fraud charges. The prosecutor may accuse you of trying to take advantage of their client. However, a criminal lawyer can help shed light on the possibility of you being unaware of important information at the time of the alleged fraud.
If the court judges in favour of a misunderstanding, request a consultation with a lawyer to help resolve the issue and get the charges dropped.
2. Identity Mistake
Since most frauds involve money, property, or assets, using the defence of mistaken identity can be lucrative. This strategy could be particularly fruitful if the act took place via e-commerce, internet banking, or social media because there’s no face-to-face contact in this case.
Your lawyer can plead not guilty by proving you have an alibi or that the police conducted a hasty investigation.
3. Insufficient Evidence
Another way to challenge fraud charges is by proving the prosecutor’s lack of evidence. To convict you of fraud, the prosecutor must provide sufficient evidence regarding all aspects of the case. However, if they don’t have enough evidence, your lawyer can point it out and get all the charges dropped.
4. Lack Of Intent
Intentional or otherwise, fraud cannot happen by accident; therefore, there should be an intent behind the act. However, the court can dismiss your case if your lawyer can prove that you stand to gain nothing through the particular act of fraud.
This is very helpful if you get unintentionally mixed up in something you did not intend to do.
5. Consent
If you have evidence that the alleged victim of the fraud gave their consent to the particular act, your lawyer can use that to build a strong defence. While fraud is illegal and ill-advised, it is not a crime if you have consent.
Final Words
The chances of winning a fraud case depend on various factors like case details, victim identity, and possible penalties. Moreover, the process can be quite complicated. So, if you’re facing fraud-related criminal charges, get in touch with an experienced criminal lawyer specializing in fraud charges without delay.