Federal Fraud Defense Lawyer in Tampa
Let Hillsborough County criminal attorney David Joffe
help you fight your charges
Federal fraud allegations should be taken seriously in Hillsborough County, and for good reason. When accused of a crime like this, your life, business, and reputation can suffer on many levels. Penalties for fraud-related crimes can vary greatly and may range from steep fines to lengthy prison sentences. That’s why you need a dedicated Tampa federal fraud defense attorney by your side immediately after you’re charged.
Fraud can constitute an array of activity but is generally defined as the act of knowingly misrepresenting or omitting information for either financial or personal gain. Fraud at a federal level is often prosecuted severely, possibly even at both state and federal levels. If you live in Hillsborough County or elsewhere in Florida and are being accused of a federal crime, having immediate access to an experienced Tampa fraud lawyer is essential.
Do not say anything that might incriminate you. Speak with an attorney first.
When you’re facing allegations of fraud, time is of the essence. The earlier you seek legal representation the better the outcome of your case will be. The federal fraud defense attorneys at Joffe Law know the ins and outs of the federal judiciary system. Our criminal lawyers have handled a multitude of fraud cases at both state and federal levels. Joffe Law, P.A. attorneys have defended clients with various types of federal fraud allegations including but not limited to:
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Wire fraud
Wire fraud in Tampa can refer to a wide range of illegal activities and can take multiple forms. Generally, it takes place over the phone or other electronic means of communication. Wire fraud involves the attempted or successful gain of funds without due right in an electronic manner. In most cases, scams that take place over avenues of communication such as telemarketer scams, spam fraud, or phishing are considered wire fraud. Wire fraud is a federal crime that may be investigated by federal agencies such as the FBI. In Florida, it can be prosecuted at both state and federal levels, and hiring experienced federal fraud attorney is critical.
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Mail fraud
Tampa Mail fraud is one of the most common federal fraud crimes. Because it directly involves the USPS, a federal organization, federal agencies can easily gain access to a case and claim jurisdiction in alleged instances of mail fraud. Similar to most forms of fraud, mail fraud involves a process of illegal gain through a scam or misrepresentation of the truth. Mail fraud is essentially fraud that has taken place through the mail or other similar postal transactions. An attempt to obtain property or monetary funds under false pretenses or to distribute, exchange, sell, or supply counterfeits through the mail is considered to be a federal mail fraud crime. Essentially all mail fraud cases fall under federal jurisdiction. Your federal fraud defense lawyer can help you fight these charges.
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Mortgage fraud
Mortgage fraud is another common federal fraud crime. Whether committed knowingly or accidentally, mortgage fraud is taken very seriously and may be investigated by the FBI. Mortgage fraud in Tampa or elsewhere in Hillsborough County may refer to inflating an appraisal to get a mortgage that is worth more than the property, claiming assets that are not actually available, posing as a borrower on behalf of someone else, and offering false help to a financially troubled individual in order to gain personally by skimming equity off of the home. Other kinds of mortgage loan fraud can be committed by realtors, borrowers, investors, lenders, and other people who are involved in real estate. Foreclosure scams are another common kind of mortgage fraud. Since mortgage fraud cases can be complex, seek out a fraud defense attorney if you have potentially committed mortgage fraud or if you have been impacted by it in another way.
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Insurance fraud
Any act committed to intentionally or even unintentionally defraud an insurance company is considered to be insurance fraud. The most common cases of insurance fraud in Tampa involve insured individuals who allegedly have made false claims seeking compensation from their insurance agency. Sometimes, insurance agencies claim that individuals have committed insurance fraud when they have not. Insurance fraud cases can be complicated and have very high stakes. Insurance fraud can be considered hard fraud or soft fraud. Both types of fraud can involve lengthy investigations and heavy fines, though hard fraud is usually penalized more severely.
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Bank fraud
Bank fraud is easily the most commonly prosecuted federal fraud crime in Tampa. In many cases, it is accompanied by other charges such as check fraud. Bank fraud is considered to be any activity that involves the use of misinformation or deception to gain monetary funds, property, or other assets from a Tampa financial institution. This type of crime can be prosecuted at either a state or federal level, and our federal defense lawyers can help with both. Bank fraud statutes mandate that the state must provide evidence that an individual intentionally and knowingly attempted or succeeded in gaining benefits illegally from a banking or financial institution. Most commonly, fraudulent checks, check “kiting”, and outright forgery are the means by which bank fraud are committed.
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Bankruptcy fraud
Bankruptcy fraud is a form of white-collar crime. In times of economic instability, occurrences of bankruptcy fraud are pretty common. Those who file for bankruptcy are expected to fully list all assets and property that they’ve owned within a designated period of time. It involves the concealment of assets from a debtor for personal gain. For instance, if an individual is in the process of filing bankruptcy and then intentionally chooses not to disclose that they happen to own a vehicle that’s currently being borrowed by a relative, said individual may be accused of committing bankruptcy fraud. Bankruptcy fraud is treated as a serious crime and can carry a variety of devastating consequences.
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Health care fraud
Another extremely common form of white-collar crime in Tampa and across Hillsborough County is health care fraud. This federal crime is usually sometimes can be prosecuted by state officials depending on the situation and the severity of the offense. Health care fraud is a type of crime involving dishonesty when making for personal gain. There are many different kinds of federal fraud scams. Many health care fraud crimes involve Medicaid or Medicare. An example of health care fraud involves obtaining assistance by giving information to a government agency. Some people commit fraud accidentally without knowing that they’ve even done anything wrong. If you are afraid that you may have committed fraud or are being accused of committing healthcare fraud, seeking legal representation early on may help you avoid charges.
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Telemarketing fraud
Telemarketing fraud is a form or wire fraud that involves the unlawful gain of assets by misrepresenting information over the phone. Asking for someone’s credit card information over the phone and then using it in a criminal way is an example of telemarketer fraud. In many cases, telemarketing fraud is also paired with other charges like credit card fraud. The consequences and penalties that come with a telemarketing fraud charge can vary greatly and may involve severe fines or in some instances even prison time.
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Credit card fraud
Credit card fraud is an umbrella term that can cover many different kinds of fraud in Tampa involving a credit card or card lender. This federal crime usually involves either obtaining a credit card from a lender by giving false information, using funds that have been pre-designated for other purposes by means of deception, stealing and using a credit card that does not belong to you or signing your name on someone else’s credit card without permission and more. Credit card fraud is usually accompanied by other fraud charges. Credit card fraud may be prosecuted at both a state and federal level and can carry severe consequences.
Immediately retain a federal fraud attorney
If you have been accused of federal fraud, the earlier you seek legal representation, the better. Joffe Law, P.A. has experienced federal fraud attorneys who have decades of handling both state and federal cases in Tampa and elsewhere in Hillsborough County. Your case demands high levels of attention and care. David J. Joffe is a federal criminal attorney in tampa and can protect your legal rights and investigate any federal fraud charges that have been brought against you so that you can build the best defense possible in Hillsborough County court.