Fraud Schemes and Artifices, A.R.S. § 13-2310

Fraud Schemes and Artifices, A.R.S. § 13-2310, is an incredibly short, incredibly broad, and incredibly serious charge. It reads: “Any person who, pursuant to a scheme or artifice to defraud, knowingly obtains any benefit by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, promises or material omissions is guilty of a class 2 felony.” There is a lot to unpack in that one sentence.

Fraud schemes is often charged when the State believes that a person has stolen something using a plan or trick, and that they have used that plan or trick more than once. Some common examples of this include using telemarketing to solicit investments in phony companies, foreign lotteries, or exchanging checks for money orders.

Fraud schemes can also be charged when a person has committed some other, lesser offense, more than once. For example, if a person uses another person’s credit card, they can be charged with credit card fraud, which can range from a class 1 misdemeanor to a class 5 felony, depending on the dollar amount of the purchase. If that person has used more than one person’s credit card, they can instead be charged with fraud schemes, and three class 1 misdemeanors can become a class 2 felony.

If you have been charged with Fraud Schemes and Artifices, please contact us today. This is a serious charge, and these cases can be very complex. Our attorneys are experienced in fraud cases, and will take the time to help you understand the nature of the accusation, and the best way to proceed.