Fraud is a type of crime wherein a person or entity deceives another party to acquire money or property or use them for other forms of personal gain. This is in contrast to theft, wherein the asset is taken without the victim’s consent. But fraud can be just as financially and emotionally damaging to a person as any theft or robbery.
Fortunately, Florida’s laws let private and corporate fraud victims file lawsuits against the liable parties to recover damages. If you were recently a victim of fraud here in Leesburg, our Leesburg fraud lawyer can help you seek compensation for your losses. They are familiar with your case’s relevant laws and can guide you through the steps involved in fraud litigation.
Consequences of Committing Fraud in Leesburg
In Florida, fraud is a crime and thus has its corresponding penalties depending on the crime’s severity. These include jail times ranging from one to 30 years and fines between $1,000 to $10,000.
Besides getting criminal charges, those who commit fraud can also be sued in civil actions by their victims. They would have to compensate the fraud victim for the money and other assets they lost.
To consult with an experienced fraud lawyer serving Leesburg, call 855-780-9986
Establishing Fraud in Your Case
To hold a party liable for fraud that took place in the Leesburg area, our fraud attorney can help you find evidence to establish these particular elements:
- The at-fault party persuaded the victim using information they knew was false.
- They also had a clear intention to scam the victim out of their money or property.
- The victim had a valid reason to believe in the party’s misleading statements.
- The victim did suffer losses due to the liable party’s false information.
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Examples of Types of Fraud in Leesburg
While deception always plays a role in fraud-related crimes, the act itself can come in many forms. Here are some of the fraud cases that a Leesburg fraud lawyer on our team can help you with.
Identity Theft
Also known as impersonation fraud, identity theft is when the fraudulent party gets their hands on someone’s personal data and uses it to obtain money, properties, or other privileges. For example, an at-fault person could use someone’s ID to apply for a loan and buy a car. However, as the victim would have no idea that someone took out a loan under their name, their credit score would get ruined while their debts pile up.
Credit Card/ATM Fraud
Credit card or ATM fraud is similar to identity theft. But here, the liable party has obtained and used your credit or debit card information to take out funds or purchase items. They may also sell the details for others to use. As more transactions get charged to your account without your knowledge, your card may get revoked if it goes past your credit limit.
Ponzi/Pyramid Schemes
Ponzi and pyramid schemes are fraudulent investment scams wherein the liable party fools victims into “investing” money in exchange for high returns. However, they are not putting the money in investments but instead taking money from new victims so they can pay earlier ones. In the process, they also keep some of the cash for themselves.
Such schemes often have account statement discrepancies as the scammers cannot truthfully disclose where the money goes.
Wire Fraud
Wire fraud is when the fraudulent party deceives the victim into giving them money or other sensitive information via telecommunication channels such as:
- Text messages
- Phone calls
- Emails
- Social media private messages
Like in regular fraudulent actions, you would also need to prove the message was meant to scam you out of your money or other assets.
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Filing a Leesburg Fraud Case
Once our fraud attorney finishes gathering evidence of the fraudulent activity and building the case, you can have the matter litigated at the county circuit court presiding over your area. As the crime happened here in Leesburg, you must file the suit at the Lake County Courthouse. It will decide whether your claims are valid and how much you should recover.
Deadlines for Filing Leesburg Fraud Lawsuits
Florida Statutes § 95.11 states that fraud cases have a four-year statute of limitations. That means you must file the case within four years of discovering the fraudulent actions. However, the act should have happened within the past 12 years for you to have a valid case.
However, your fraud case’s deadlines could be extended if tolling exceptions apply. For example, let us say the person who committed fraud leaves for another state or goes into hiding. In this instance, the statute of limitations will only resume counting if the liable person is found again or returns to Florida.
The court dismisses cases that miss the state’s deadlines, so it is safer to build the fraud case while it is still early. Our Leesburg fraud lawyer can check for tolling exceptions to determine how much time you have.
Damages in Fraud Litigation
Our fraud attorney can help compile records of your losses to estimate the settlement amount as accurately as possible.
Besides having the liable side pay you for the amount lost to fraud, the court can also order them to pay your court fees and attorney’s fees.
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Learn More About How Our Leesburg Fraud Lawyer Can Help Your Case
Being a fraud victim can be financially devastating for any Leesburg resident or business. But do know that you could take legal action to make the fraudulent party pay for their actions and help you recover from your losses. We have a Leesburg fraud lawyer available for a consultation so you can get started with the litigation process.
For more than 40 years, Bogin, Munns & Munns has worked with private and corporate clients in Leesburg, Lake County, and throughout Central Florida. As a full-service law firm, our practice areas range from fraud to criminal defense and probate litigation. For consultation requests, you can send the case details online or call our 24/7 support team.
Call or text 855-780-9986 or submit our Consultation Request form today
