Boston Identity Theft Lawyer
An Experienced Boston Identity Theft Defense Team
If you are being charged with identity theft, you have been accused of stealing another person’s personal identification information with the intent to profit off of it. Even if you did not make a dollar in the acquisition of another’s identification, you can still face severe penalties. The Massachusetts criminal justice department does not look lightly on any forms of identity theft because it has become such a growing concern in the public’s mind. According to the Insurance Information Institute, identity theft complaints recently increased by 47 percent in just one year. Make no mistake, you need an experienced, aggressive Boston identity theft lawyer on your side if you have been accused of identity theft.
How Does Identity Theft Work?
The Lawyer General of Massachusetts defines identity theft as obtaining another person’s personal identification information with the goal being to defraud or commit a crime. Common types of identities that are procured during identity theft include:
- Social Security numbers;
- Credit cards;
- Security passwords;
- Account numbers;
- Tax identification;
- Driver’s license;
- Medical information or prescriptions for drugs; and
- More.
Identity theft scams are spreading throughout Massachusetts and the country. Common scams include phone or email fraud used in an attempt to trick victims into giving out their social security numbers. Another common scam is sent via the mail, impersonating the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in an effort to procure the victim’s information so that the perpetrator can file for the victim’s tax return. As with any crime, the motive, which must be clearly established, can influence the charges that the defendant faces and the defense strategy used by the defendant’s lawyer.
The Penalties for Identity Theft are Severe in Massachusetts
Identity theft in Massachusetts is punished by up to two and a half years in prison and a $5,000 fine for every offense. For those who are facing multiple or even dozens of counts of identity theft, a long prison sentence may be looming on the horizon if adequate legal defense is not acquired. On top of the fines and prison sentence, restitution may be ordered by the judge, which can significantly increase the financial aspect of the punishment.
Defense Strategies Against Identity Theft
While we know full well that every case has unique properties about it, the vast number of identity theft cases that we have taken on and won has dramatically prepared us for whatever lies ahead. Our lawyers will create a defense strategy that works specifically for you, whether that means:
- Proving that you unknowingly obtained the individual’s personal identification;
- You had no intent to defraud them, profit off of the ID, or commit another crime with the ID;
- You did not cause any harm to the individual;
- You had permission from the individual to use or obtain their ID, such as use their credit card; or
- The financial damage that you did cause was much smaller than the prosecution has let on.
Call a Boston Identity Theft Lawyer Today
If you are facing Boston identity theft, call the Boston identify theft legal team at Leontire and Associates, P.C. today for immediate assistance. We will begin working aggressively on your behalf.
