Source: http://newjerseyfraudlawyer.com/types-of-fraudwhite-collar-crimes/new-jersey-check-fraud/
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 10:22:07+00:00

Document:
In New Jersey, State Check Fraud charges usually stem from several different New Jersey Statutes; theft, forgery, uttering and bad checks.
Forgery is the act of signing the signature of a check for another without the authorization of that person. Presenting the forged a check results in the criminal charge of uttering. If the defendant is successful in obtaining money from presenting the forged check, they will also be charged can be theft. Finally, when the defendant writes a check and it bounces and then fails to make good on the check, the defendant will be charged with the crime of bad checks.
(3) Utters any writing which he knows to be forged in a manner specified in paragraph (1) or (2).
“Writing” includes printing or any other method of recording information, money, coins, tokens, stamps, seals, credit cards, badges, trademarks, access devices, and other symbols of value, right, privilege, or identification, including retail sales receipts, universal product code (UPC) labels and checks. This section shall apply without limitation to forged, copied or imitated checks.
As used in this section, “information” includes, but is not limited to, personal identifying information as defined in subsection v. of N.J.S.2C:20-1.
b. Grading of forgery. Forgery is a crime of the third degree if the writing is or purports to be part of an issue of money, securities, postage or revenue stamps, or other instruments, certificates or licenses issued by the government, New Jersey Prescription Blanks as referred to in R.S.45:14-14, or part of an issue of stock, bonds or other instruments representing interest in or claims against any property or enterprise, personal identifying information or an access device. Forgery is a crime of the third degree if the writing is or purports to be a check. Forgery is a crime of the third degree if the writing is or purports to be 15 or more forged or altered retail sales receipts or universal product code labels.
Otherwise forgery is a crime of the fourth degree.
c. Possession of forgery devices. A person is guilty of possession of forgery devices, a crime of the third degree, when with purpose to use, or to aid or permit another to use the same for purposes of forging written instruments, including access devices and personal identifying information, he makes or possesses any device, apparatus, equipment, computer, computer equipment, computer software or article specially designed or adapted to such use.
L.1978, c. 95, § 2C:21-1, eff. Sept. 1, 1979. Amended by L.1981, c. 290, § 20, eff. Sept. 24, 1981; L.1996, c. 154, § 10, eff. Jan. 6, 1997; L.1997, c. 6, § 5, eff. Jan. 24, 1997; L.2001, c. 110, § 1, eff. June 21, 2001; L.2002, c. 85, § 2, eff. Oct. 16, 2002.
A person commits a crime of the fourth degree if, with purpose to defraud anyone or with knowledge that he is facilitating a fraud to be perpetrated by anyone, he makes, alters or utters any object so that it appears to have value because of antiquity, rarity, source, or authorship which it does not possess.
L.1978, c. 95, § 2C:21-2, eff. Sept. 1, 1979.
b. Payment was refused by the drawee for lack of funds, or due to a closed account, after a deposit by the payee into a bank for collection or after presentation to the drawee within 46 days after issue, and the issuer failed to make good within 10 days after receiving notice of that refusal or after notice has been sent to the issuer’s last known address. Notice of refusal may be given to the issuer orally or in writing in any reasonable manner by any person.
(4) a disorderly persons offense if the check or money order is less than $200.00.
L.1978, c. 95, § 2C:21-5, eff. Sept. 1, 1979. Amended by L.1981, c. 290, § 22, eff. Sept. 24, 1981; L.2002, c. 65, § 1, eff. Aug. 14, 2002.
The most common Federal Check Fraud cases involve check kiting. This crime takes advantage of the float to make use of non-existent funds in a bank account. The crime occurs when one intentionally writes a check for a value greater than the account balance from an account in one bank, then writing a check from another account in another bank, also with non-sufficient funds, with the second check serving to cover the non-existent funds from the first account. The purpose is to falsely inflate the balance of a checking account in order to allow checks that have been written that would otherwise bounce to clear.
If the defendant does not plan on replenishing the account, then the fraud is known as paper hanging. Some complex kiting rings involve creating sham businesses thereby masking their activity as normal business transactions and making banks inclined to waive the limit of funds made available. These crimes often involve a number of other serious crimes including tax evasion and money laundering.

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