Fraud is committed when an individual intentionally deceives or misrepresents themselves to gain something in return. Fraud offense may include: check forgery, using another person’s credit card with out their permission, or forging documents.

Contact the Law Offices of Owsley and Associates for a free intitial consultation if you have been charged with crime of fraud in the State of Texas.

Texas Penal Code for Fraud

§ 32.01. Fraud

(1) "Financial institution" means a bank, trust company, insurance company, credit union, building and loan association, savings and loan association, investment trust, investment company, or any other organization held out to the public as a place for deposit of funds or medium of savings or collective investment. (2) "Property" means: (A) real property; (B) tangible or intangible personal property including anything severed from land; or (C) a document, including money, that represents or embodies anything of value. (3) "Service" includes: (A) labor and professional service; (B) telecommunication, public utility, and transportation service; (C) lodging, restaurant service, and entertainment; and (D) the supply of a motor vehicle or other property for use. (4) "Steal" means to acquire property or service by theft.  

§ 32.02. VALUE.

(a) Subject to the additional criteria of Subsections (b) and (c), value under this chapter is: (1) the fair market value of the property or service at the time and place of the offense; or (2) if the fair market value of the property cannot be ascertained, the cost of replacing the property within a reasonable time after the offense. (b) The value of documents, other than those having a readily ascertainable market value, is: (1) the amount due and collectible at maturity less any part that has been satisfied, if the document constitutes evidence of a debt; or (2) the greatest amount of economic loss that the owner might reasonably suffer by virtue of loss of the document, if the document is other than evidence of a debt. (c) If property or service has value that cannot be reasonably ascertained by the criteria set forth in Subsections (a) and (b), the property or service is deemed to have a value of $500 or more but less than $1,500. (d) If the actor proves by a preponderance of the evidence that he gave consideration for or had a legal interest in the property or service stolen, the amount of the consideration or the value of the interest so proven shall be deducted from the value of the property or service ascertained under Subsection (a), (b), or (c) to determine value for purposes of this chapter.  

§ 32.21. FORGERY.

(a) For purposes of this section: (1) "Forge" means: (A) to alter, make, complete, execute, or authenticate any writing so that it purports: (i) to be the act of another who did not authorize that act; (ii) to have been executed at a time or place or in a numbered sequence other than was in fact the case; or (iii) to be a copy of an original when no such original existed; (B) to issue, transfer, register the transfer of, pass, publish, or otherwise utter a writing that is forged within the meaning of Paragraph (A); or (C) to possess a writing that is forged within the meaning of Paragraph (A) with intent to utter it in a manner specified in Paragraph (B). (2) "Writing" includes: (A) printing or any other method of recording information; (B) money, coins, tokens, stamps, seals, credit cards, badges, and trademarks; and (C) symbols of value, right, privilege, or identification. (b) A person commits an offense if he forges a writing with intent to defraud or harm another. (c) Except as provided in Subsections (d) and (e) an offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor. (d) An offense under this section is a state jail felony if the writing is or purports to be a will, codicil, deed, deed of trust, mortgage, security instrument, security agreement, credit card, check, authorization to debit an account at a financial institution, or similar sight order for payment of money, contract, release, or other commercial instrument. (e) An offense under this section is a felony of the third degree if the writing is or purports to be: (1) part of an issue of money, securities, postage or revenue stamps; (2) a government record listed in Section 37.01(2)(C); or (3) other instruments issued by a state or national government or by a subdivision of either, or part of an issue of stock, bonds, or other instruments representing interests in or claims against another person. (f) A person is presumed to intend to defraud or harm another if the person acts with respect to two or more writings of the same type and if each writing is a government record listed in Section 37.01(2)(C).

§ 32.24. STEALING OR RECEIVING STOLEN CHECK OR SIMILAR SIGHT ORDER.

(a) A person commits an offense if the person steals an unsigned check or similar sight order or, with knowledge that an unsigned check or similar sight order has been stolen, receives the check or sight order with intent to use it, to sell it, or to transfer it to a person other than the person from whom the check or sight order was stolen. (b) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.    

§ 32.31. CREDIT CARD OR DEBIT CARD ABUSE.

(a) For purposes of this section: (1) "Cardholder" means the person named on the face of a credit card or debit card to whom or for whose benefit the card is issued. (2) "Credit card" means an identification card, plate, coupon, book, number, or any other device authorizing a designated person or bearer to obtain property or services on credit. The term includes the number or description of the device if the device itself is not produced at the time of ordering or obtaining the property or service. (3) "Expired credit card" means a credit card bearing an expiration date after that date has passed. (4) "Debit card" means an identification card, plate, coupon, book, number, or any other device authorizing a designated person or bearer to communicate a request to an unmanned teller machine or a customer convenience terminal or obtain property or services by debit to an account at a financial institution. The term includes the number or description of the device if the device itself is not produced at the time of ordering or obtaining the benefit. (5) "Expired debit card" means a debit card bearing as its expiration date a date that has passed. (6) "Unmanned teller machine" means a machine, other than a telephone, capable of being operated by a customer, by which a customer may communicate to a financial institution a request to withdraw a benefit for himself or for another directly from the customer's account or from the customer's account under a line of credit previously authorized by the institution for the customer. (7) "Customer convenience terminal" means an unmanned teller machine the use of which does not involve personnel of a financial institution. (b) A person commits an offense if: (1) with intent to obtain a benefit fraudulently, he presents or uses a credit card or debit card with knowledge that: (A) the card, whether or not expired, has not been issued to him and is not used with the effective consent of the cardholder; or (B) the card has expired or has been revoked or cancelled; (2) with intent to obtain a benefit, he uses a fictitious credit card or debit card or the pretended number or description of a fictitious card; (3) he receives a benefit that he knows has been obtained in violation of this section; (4) he steals a credit card or debit card or, with knowledge that it has been stolen, receives a credit card or debit card with intent to use it, to sell it, or to transfer it to a person other than the issuer or the cardholder; (5) he buys a credit card or debit card from a person who he knows is not the issuer; (6) not being the issuer, he sells a credit card or debit card; (7) he uses or induces the cardholder to use the cardholder's credit card or debit card to obtain property or service for the actor's benefit for which the cardholder is financially unable to pay; (8) not being the cardholder, and without the effective consent of the cardholder, he signs or writes his name or the name of another on a credit card or debit card with intent to use it; (9) he possesses two or more incomplete credit cards or debit cards that have not been issued to him with intent to complete them without the effective consent of the issuer. For purposes of this subdivision, a card is incomplete if part of the matter that an issuer requires to appear on the card before it can be used, other than the signature of the cardholder, has not yet been stamped, embossed, imprinted, or written on it; (10) being authorized by an issuer to furnish goods or services on presentation of a credit card or debit card, he, with intent to defraud the issuer or the cardholder, furnishes goods or services on presentation of a credit card or debit card obtained or retained in violation of this section or a credit card or debit card that is forged, expired, or revoked; or (11) being authorized by an issuer to furnish goods or services on presentation of a credit card or debit card, he, with intent to defraud the issuer or a cardholder, fails to furnish goods or services that he represents in writing to the issuer that he has furnished. (c) It is presumed that a person who used a revoked, cancelled, or expired credit card or debit card had knowledge that the card had been revoked, cancelled, or expired if he had received notice of revocation, cancellation, or expiration from the issuer. For purposes of this section, notice may be either notice given orally in person or by telephone, or in writing by mail or by telegram. If written notice was sent by registered or certified mail with return receipt requested, or by telegram with report of delivery requested, addressed to the cardholder at the last address shown by the records of the issuer, it is presumed that the notice was received by the cardholder no later than five days after sent. (d) An offense under this section is a state jail felony.  

§ 32.32. FALSE STATEMENT TO OBTAIN PROPERTY OR CREDIT.

(a) For purposes of this section, "credit" includes: (1) a loan of money; (2) furnishing property or service on credit; (3) extending the due date of an obligation; (4) comaking, endorsing, or guaranteeing a note or other instrument for obtaining credit; (5) a line or letter of credit; and (6) a credit card, as defined in Section 32.31 (Credit Card or Debit Card Abuse). (b) A person commits an offense if he intentionally or knowingly makes a materially false or misleading written statement to obtain property or credit for himself or another. (c) An offense under this section is: (1) a Class C misdemeanor if the value of the property or the amount of credit is less than $50; (2) a Class B misdemeanor if the value of the property or the amount of credit is $50 or more but less than $500; (3) a Class A misdemeanor if the value of the property or the amount of credit is $500 or more but less than $1,500; (4) a state jail felony if the value of the property or the amount of credit is $1,500 or more but less than $20,000; (5) a felony of the third degree if the value of the property or the amount of credit is $20,000 or more but less than $100,000; (6) a felony of the second degree if the value of the property or the amount of credit is $100,000 or more but less than $200,000; or (7) a felony of the first degree if the value of the property or the amount of credit is $200,000 or more.

§ 32.35. CREDIT CARD TRANSACTION RECORD LAUNDERING.

(a) In this section: (1) "Agent" means a person authorized to act on behalf of another and includes an employee. (2) "Authorized vendor" means a person authorized by a creditor to furnish property, service, or anything else of value upon presentation of a credit card by a cardholder. (3) "Cardholder" means the person named on the face of a credit card to whom or for whose benefit the credit card is issued, and includes the named person's agents. (4) "Credit card" means an identification card, plate, coupon, book, number, or any other device authorizing a designated person or bearer to obtain property or services on credit. It includes the number or description on the device if the device itself is not produced at the time of ordering or obtaining the property or service. (5) "Creditor" means a person licensed under Chapter 342, Finance Code, a bank, savings and loan association, credit union, or other regulated financial institution that lends money or otherwise extends credit to a cardholder through a credit card and that authorizes other persons to honor the credit card. (b) A person commits an offense if the person is an authorized vendor who, with intent to defraud the creditor or cardholder, presents to a creditor, for payment, a credit card transaction record of a sale that was not made by the authorized vendor or the vendor's agent. (c) A person commits an offense if, without the creditor's authorization, the person employs, solicits, or otherwise causes an authorized vendor or the vendor's agent to present to a creditor, for payment, a credit card transaction record of a sale that was not made by the authorized vendor or the vendor's agent. (d) It is presumed that a person is not the agent of an authorized vendor if a fee is paid or offered to be paid by the person to the authorized vendor in connection with the vendor's presentment to a creditor of a credit card transaction record. (e) An offense under this section is a: (1) Class C misdemeanor if the amount of the record of a sale is less than $20; (2) Class B misdemeanor if the amount of the record of a sale is $20 or more but less than $500; (3) Class A misdemeanor if the amount of the record of a sale is $500 or more but less than $1,500; (4) state jail felony if the amount of the record of a sale is $1,500 or more but less than $20,000; (5) felony of the third degree if the amount of the record of a sale is $20,000 or more but less than $100,000; (6) felony of the second degree if the amount of the record of a sale is $100,000 or more but less than $200,000; or (7) felony of the first degree if the amount of the record of a sale is $200,000 or more.

§ 32.41. ISSUANCE OF BAD CHECK.

(a) A person commits an offense if he issues or passes a check or similar sight order for the payment of money knowing that the issuer does not have sufficient funds in or on deposit with the bank or other drawee for the payment in full of the check or order as well as all other checks or orders outstanding at the time of issuance. (b) This section does not prevent the prosecution from establishing the required knowledge by direct evidence; however, for purposes of this section, the issuer's knowledge of insufficient funds is presumed (except in the case of a postdated check or order) if: (1) he had no account with the bank or other drawee at the time he issued the check or order; or (2) payment was refused by the bank or other drawee for lack of funds or insufficient funds on presentation within 30 days after issue and the issuer failed to pay the holder in full within 10 days after receiving notice of that refusal. (c) Notice for purposes of Subsection (b)(2) may be actual notice or notice in writing that: (1) is sent by registered or certified mail with return receipt requested, by telegram with report of delivery requested, or by first class mail if the letter was returned unopened with markings indicating that the address is incorrect and that there is no current forwarding order; (2) is addressed to the issuer at his address shown on: (A) the check or order; (B) the records of the bank or other drawee; or (C) the records of the person to whom the check or order has been issued or passed; and (3) contains the following statement: "This is a demand for payment in full for a check or order not paid because of a lack of funds or insufficient funds. If you fail to make payment in full within 10 days after the date of receipt of this notice, the failure to pay creates a presumption for committing an offense, and this matter may be referred for criminal prosecution." (d) If notice is given in accordance with Subsection (c), it is presumed that the notice was received no later than five days after it was sent. (e) A person charged with an offense under this section may make restitution for the bad checks. Restitution shall be made through the prosecutor's office if collection and processing were initiated through that office. In other cases restitution may, with the approval of the court in which the offense is filed, be made through the court. (f) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, an offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor. If the check or similar sight order that was issued or passed was for a child support payment the obligation for which is established under a court order, the offense is a Class B misdemeanor. (g) An offense under this section is not a lesser included offense of an offense under Section 31.03 or 31.04.    

§ 32.47. FRAUDULENT DESTRUCTION, REMOVAL, OR CONCEALMENT OF WRITING.

(a) A person commits an offense if, with intent to defraud or harm another, he destroys, removes, conceals, alters, substitutes, or otherwise impairs the verity, legibility, or availability of a writing, other than a governmental record. (b) For purposes of this section, "writing" includes: (1) printing or any other method of recording information; (2) money, coins, tokens, stamps, seals, credit cards, badges, trademarks; (3) symbols of value, right, privilege, or identification; and (4) universal product codes, labels, price tags, or markings on goods. (c) Except as provided in Subsection (d), an offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor. (d) An offense under this section is a state jail felony if the writing: (1) is a will or codicil of another, whether or not the maker is alive or dead and whether or not it has been admitted to probate; or (2) is a deed, mortgage, deed of trust, security instrument, security agreement, or other writing for which the law provides public recording or filing, whether or not the writing has been acknowledged.

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