As technology advances, criminals adapt to it to find new ways of illegally extracting money from people. Modern technology has allowed people to rob you from the convenience of their home, putting them (and you) at far less physical risk than in the olden days when they needed to go out into the street with a weapon to do so.
Wire fraud has been around for some time and was a natural progression of mail fraud. Rather than using the postal system, it uses the electronic system, such as telephones, emails and anything that has come along after, such as instant messaging, social media and online banking apps.
Here are four elements a court would need to find existed before convicting someone of it
- You came up with the plan or willingly took part in it
- You did so with the intention of taking someone else’s money through fraud
- You were pretty confident they would go for it
- You used interstate wire communications systems
How can you defend against wire fraud?
You may just want to reiterate that you did not do it and that the investigating officers have the wrong person. Or, if you were somehow involved, you might want to explain that you were not willingly involved, i.e., someone forced you. Or that you did not realize what you were doing, i.e., you were just following orders and doing something you thought was legal.
Alternatively, you may need to examine the search and arrest procedures used to gain evidence and prosecute you. Showing illegal procedures were used, or protocols were breached could lead the judge to dismiss the case. Consider legal help to examine your options if you face wire fraud charges.
