Understanding fraud charges in Pennsylvania

By Stanton D. Levenson

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Federal Criminal Defense

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Last Modified on Feb 22, 2020

Pennsylvania statutes dictate how the justice system handles criminal charges. When a person faces prosecution for fraud, the authorities believe the accused purposely deceived another.

The government takes fraud seriously, and we agree that anyone who stands accused of the crime should as well. Discover what types of fraud exist under Pennsylvania law to understand the charges better should they arise.

Selling fake goods

When a person engages another to sell something under falsehoods, it may constitute fraud. The crime here involves a seller attempting to inflate the value of an item or pass a fake designer piece as authentic. Some examples of this include designer purses and wallets. The crime here may yield a first-degree misdemeanor.

About the author: Stanton D. Levenson

Criminal Defense Lawyer at Amy B. Levenson Jones PLLC dba Levenson Law Firm

Stanton D. Levenson is a criminal defense lawyer with Amy B. Levenson Jones PLLC dba Levenson Law Firm in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For more than five decades, he has represented clients in white collar crime, health care law, and criminal law matters. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law (J.D. 1966), he is admitted to practice before Pennsylvania state courts, multiple U.S. Courts of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court. His work has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers.

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Writing bad checks

People short on cash may cash a check knowing the funds in the account are insufficient. Purposefully passing bad checks may come with a third-degree misdemeanor charge if the amount falls between $200 and $500. When a person faces accusations of passing a bad check above this amount, the severity of the charge may increase.

Filing a false insurance claim

Filing a claim with an insurance company under false pretenses may land a person in court on serious charges. Fabricating an incident or injury to benefit from an insurance payout may come with a third-degree felony charge. Much like lying to the police, when a person makes a false statement to an insurance adjuster, it may come with hefty fines and jail time.

A judge may hand down a jail sentence in many fraud convictions. Discover more about this serious criminal offense on our website here.