Fraudulent Use Of Credit Card
Legal Definition
A person commits fraudulent use of a credit card by using a credit card obtained or retained by fraud, or by using a credit card knowing it is forged, expired, revoked, or belongs to another without the cardholder's consent. The offense includes using a credit card to obtain property, services, or anything of value through deception or unauthorized means. Intent to defraud the issuer, cardholder, or a merchant is an element of the crime.
Possible Punishment
Basic sentence of 18 months imprisonment; fine up to $5,000. A mandatory period of parole follows release. The level of the offense may depend on the value obtained or the number of fraudulent transactions, though the statute treats most violations uniformly as a fourth degree felony.
Local Context
This statute also covers possession of a credit card with intent to use it fraudulently and obtaining property by representing that one is the authorized holder of a card. Related offenses include identity theft (§ 30-16-24.1 NMSA) and forgery (§ 30-16-10 NMSA) when credit card instruments are counterfeited.
Property-Crime Cases in Doña Ana County
Property charges in New Mexico scale with dollar value and circumstances. The same shoplifting conduct can be a petty misdemeanor or a felony depending on the value of what was taken, and burglary escalates sharply when the structure is a home or someone is inside. That is why our charge database lists several versions of larceny and burglary with different classifications.
Property cases also drive a large share of repeat bookings: failure to appear on an older larceny case frequently brings someone back into the detention center on a bench warrant alongside any new charge.
Related Guides
Misdemeanor vs. Felony in New Mexico: Sentences, Courts, and Consequences
How New Mexico separates petty misdemeanors, misdemeanors, and felony degrees: sentence ranges, jail vs. prison, habitual enhancements, and collateral costs.
Bench Warrants and Failure to Appear in New Mexico: How a Missed Court Date Becomes a Booking
What a bench warrant is, how it differs from an arrest warrant, why FTA bookings fill the Doña Ana County jail log, and how to clear a warrant before arrest.
Recent Arrests for This Charge (5)
Woman, 45, Booked on 42 Counts of Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card
TIFFANY BECKER | 42 charges
Lubbing Woman, 24, Booked on Felony Fraud and Probation Violation Charges
MARICELA ROSELL | 2 charges
Las Cruces Woman, 37, Charged with Fraudulent Use of Credit Card
SAMANTHA SORIA | 1 charge
Las Cruces Woman, 46, Booked on Felony Auto Theft and Burglary Charges
CRISTI POSTON | 12 charges
Las Cruces Man, 29, Charged with Fraudulent Use of Credit Card
SALVADOR CHAVEZ | 5 charges
Information provided for general reference. Statutory text is summarized and may not reflect the most recent amendments. All persons listed are presumed innocent until proven guilty.