Fraud

In criminal law fraud is the crime or offense of deliberately deceiving another in order to damage them – usually, to obtain property or services unjustly. Fraud can be accomplished through the aid of forged objects. In the criminal law of common law jurisdictions it may be called "theft by deception," "larceny by trick," "larceny by fraud and deception," or something similar.

Fraud can be committed through many methods, including mail, wire, phone, and the internet (computer crime and internet fraud). The difficulty of checking identity and legitimacy online, the ease with which hackers can divert browsers to dishonest site and steal credit card details, the international dimensions of the web and ease with which users can hide their location, all contribute to making internet fraud the fastest growing area of fraud.

In the broadest sense, a fraud is a deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and is also a civil law violation. Acts which may constitute criminal fraud include:

• bait and switch
• bankruptcy fraud, is a US federal crime that can lead to criminal prosecution under the charge of theft of the goods or services,
• charlatanism (psychic and occult),
• confidence tricks such as the 419 fraud, Spanish Prisoner, and the shell game
• creation of false companies or "long firms"
• embezzlement taking money which is under your control, but not yours,
• false advertising
• false billing
• false insurance claims
• forgery of documents or signatures,
• health fraud,  selling of products of spurious use, such as quack medicines,
• identity theft  
• investment frauds, such as Ponzi schemes
• marriage fraud to obtain immigration benefits
• securities frauds such as pump and dump
• taking payment for goods sold online, by mail or phone, such as tickets, with no intention of delivering them.