STEALING FROM THE DIGITAL COOKIE JAR

It's no surprise that when the economy is down, crime is inevitably up. As the saying goes, "desperate times call for desperate measures." Unfortunately, in acts of desperation we aren't thinking clearly and tend to do things we may end up regretting.

Theft is a serious offense and can come in many forms. We typically think of a guy with a ski mask climbing out of a window across a lawn with ill-gotten goods, high stepping to the get away van, but not always.

One form of theft that is on the rise is online fraud. The false sense that the Internet isn't "the real world" is a thought shared by many novice criminals now doing time. Authorities and law makers have caught up with online fraud by expanding their resources and policing the web. It's a game of cat and mouse, all with the click of a mouse. Often times, someone will take to the Internet to sell stolen goods or receive compensation without any intent to distribute a product. In this economy, for some, it seems like an easy answer to take from the digital cookie jar. Make no mistake, there are real life consequences for fraud on the web.

Many benefit programs are done online these days and one may be tempted to falsify information online feeling as if it's no big deal as if they're lying to a robot. It isn't the robot they're lying to, it's the State Government. You can incur swift penalties if found guilty, among them being prison time.

If you or someone you know is facing theft and/or fraud charges alleged to have been committed via the Internet, contact San Jose Criminal Defense Attorney William Chestnut.

The Law Offices of William Chestnut 
1625 The Alameda, Suite 400 
San Jose, CA 95126 
E: williamchestnut@msn.com 
P: (408) 298-6990 
F: (408) 899-2269 
www.lawyersanjose.info 
www.williamchestnutlaw.com