Fraud

Fraud is both a criminal offense and a wrongful act (tort) that becomes the basis for civil liability. Fraud is generally defined as knowingly misrepresenting the truth or concealing a material fact to induce another to do something that will be to his or her detriment, for example, depriving another of his or her money, property, or a legal right. For example, using a fake check to buy a stereo system would be considered fraud. There are a variety of different types of fraud, including: bank fraud, credit card fraud, embezzlement, forgery, identity theft, internet fraud, insurance fraud, investment fraud, mail fraud, tax fraud, and wire fraud. Many white collar crimes are also Fraud Crimes.