Fraud
Fraud is the crime or offense of deliberately deceiving another in order to damage them -- usually, to obtain property or services from him unjustly. [1]. Fraud can be committed through many methods, including mail, wire, phone, and the Internet.Forms of criminal fraud include:
- confidence tricks such as the 419 fraud, Spanish Prisoner, and the shell game;
- false advertising;
- identity theft;
- false billing;
- forgery of documents or signatures;
- taking money which is under your control, but not yours (embezzlement)
- the selling of products of spurious use, such as quack medicines;
- creation of false companies or "long firms";
- false insurance claims; and
- securities frauds such as pump and dump.