Understand Mail Fraud and What You Should Do if Wrongly Convicted

Understand Mail Fraud and What You Should Do if Wrongly Convicted

Mail fraud is a serious offense in the United States and any dealing or activity performed through the U.S. mail is fully monitored for this fraudulent activity. However, if you run a business or service where you rely on the mail service to perform your branding or marketing activities there is a chance that you may wrongly get convicted of mail fraud. Learn more about what mail fraud is in Illinois to understand what you should do if you are wrongly convicted of this serious offense.

Mail Fraud

Mail fraud is covered in Illinois under the statute (720 ILCS 5/17-24). This statute defines a mail fraud occurs when there is an attempt to defraud a person or obtain money from them under false pretenses. Even if the authorities find that an activity is intended for such a person, the concerned person can be charged with mail fraud. This means that there is always a chance that a promotional scheme may be considered as a scam because of the marketing language it may contain.

Mail fraud is also a federal crime where it is mandatory to serve at least minimum sentencing. It is a white-collar crime, where the penalties can be extremely severe if you are found guilty. If you are charged with mail fraud, then you will certainly need to seek advice from an experienced criminal defense lawyer to fight the charges in the court.

Mail fraud usually occurs in the following ways:

• When there is a fraudulent lottery service presented over mail, which entices individuals into paying the initial fee for receiving the large lottery prize.
• There can be a telemarketing fraud as well, which may happen with the help of documents sent through the US Mail.
• A financial fraud in the form of offering an unsecured loan against a small processing fee is considered an important type of mail fraud.

The Penalty

The penalties for mail fraud are extremely severe in Illinois. It is considered as a Class 3 felony, which can be punished with a fine of up to 1 million dollars. You can also face life imprisonment under certain conditions if you are convicted of the crime. The financial punishments usually match the financial loss produced because of the fraudulent activity.

Prepare a Defense

What you need to do when convicted of mail fraud is to retain immediate legal presentation. You should seek an experienced white-collar crime defense lawyer in Illinois to represent you and protect your interests from the penalties that you may face if convicted. A knowledgeable criminal attorney understands how to work with the system and identify the avenues and situations, which you can use to argue your case and reach a winning position in the court.

If you have been accused of mail fraud, and the charges have been initially framed as a white-collar crime, you should seek immediate legal representation. Call today at 708-923-0368 to schedule a free initial consultation with Ettinger and Besbekos, P.C. in Illinois, and start preparing a solid criminal defense.