Wire fraud is the act of using telecommunication technology to defraud someone of their money.
As technology advances, wire fraud is becoming more and more common. Yet misconceptions about what wire fraud is exist.
What wire fraud used to be
Laws regarding wire fraud were originally acted to prevent fraud through wire, radio or television communication. As technology has advanced, the term wire fraud now encompasses many more forms of communication used to dupe people out of their money.
What wire fraud is today
The biggest misconception about wire fraud is that wire fraud involves the wiring of money. In fact, wire fraud involves using any form of telecommunication technology to trick someone into giving up their money. Telecommunication technology is any form of tech that allows people to connect and converse. Common methods of wire fraud include scams through telephone calls, emails, apps, videoconferencing and even social media.
What three things make up wire fraud
First, wire fraud involves a scam designed by one party to defraud people of their money. Secondly, there must be intent. The scammer must intend to defraud another through deceptive means. Mistakes and misunderstandings happen, and those rarely constitute fraud. Thirdly, as the name suggests, wire fraud must involve the use of interstate wires or electronic communications to deploy the scheme.
If you face wire fraud charges, seek a criminal defense attorney to help you determine your next steps. There are several defenses available for wire fraud depending on the facts of your case.
