Fort Lauderdale Wire Fraud Lawyers: Protecting Your Rights in Complex Cybercrime Cases
Wire fraud cases can be extremely complex – with sophisticated scammers using the latest technology to try to steal your money. If you have been victimized, it is essential to have an experienced wire fraud attorney on your side. At our firm, we have extensive experience representing victims of wire transfer fraud, email compromise scams, and other cybercrimes. We understand these cases inside and out, and know how to build the strongest possible defense.
Working with a Skilled Wire Fraud Lawyer
If you lost money in a wire transfer scam, it is critical to consult an attorney immediately. An experienced wire fraud lawyer can help you:
- Report the crime – Your lawyer can assist you in filing a report with agencies like the FBI, FTC, and local law enforcement. This creates an official record and launches an investigation.
- Dispute fraudulent transfers – Your attorney can contact banks right away and advocate for reversing any illegal transfers before the money disappears. The sooner you act, the better chance funds can be recovered.
- Identify the perpetrator – Lawyers have investigative resources to help track down the scammer and build a fraud case, even if they are overseas.
- Recover losses – Your lawyer will pursue every possible avenue to recoup your losses, including insurance claims, civil litigation, restitution, and more.
- Defend your reputation – When identity theft and fraud occur, victims’ reputations can suffer. Your lawyer will help restore your good standing.
- Obtain justice – If a criminal case proceeds, your lawyer will represent your best interests every step of the way to hold the perpetrator fully accountable.
Key Defenses in Wire Fraud Cases
Wire fraud cases involve very complex legal and technological issues. As a victim, the deck is stacked against you. The skilled fraudsters are experts at covering their tracks and hiding behind layers of deception.
Having an attorney who deeply understands cybercrime defenses is critical. Some key defenses we may use include:
- You did not intend to defraud – If you were manipulated and did not realize the transaction was fraudulent, this negates intent.
- No actual loss occurred – If funds were recovered or the “victim” suffered no real loss, then there may have been no completed wire fraud.
- Not material – The lies or deception must have been significant enough to influence a reasonable person. If the false information was not material, the wire fraud accusation may be defeated.
- Free speech – The First Amendment protects some communications that may seem suspicious but involve no intentional fraud.
- Statute of limitations – There is a 5-year federal statute of limitations on wire fraud charges. Any prosecution outside that timeframe will be barred.
- No wire communications – If the alleged fraud did not use wire, radio, or television communications, then the federal wire fraud statute may not apply.
- Entrapment – If you were improperly induced or coerced into committing fraud by overzealous law enforcement, entrapment is a valid defense.
Our Proven Results in Wire Fraud Cases
We have successfully defended numerous wire fraud cases using strategies like those above. For example, in a recent business email compromise case, we demonstrated our client had no intent to defraud and was also a victim of the overseas scammer. All charges were dismissed.
In another case, we proved the disputed funds were recovered, so there were no damages. Again, the charges were thrown out.
The key is developing a theory of the case early on and then relentlessly building evidence to support your position. Through hard work and persistence, we have achieved many outstanding results for fraud victims facing prosecution or other legal challenges.