Sec. 12. (a) As used in this section, "financial institution" refers to a state or federally chartered bank, savings bank, savings association, or credit union.

(b) A person who knowingly or intentionally obtains property, through a scheme or artifice, with intent to defraud:

(1) by issuing or delivering a check, a draft, an electronic debit, or an order on a financial institution:

(A) knowing that the check, draft, order, or electronic debit will not be paid or honored by the financial institution upon presentment in the usual course of business;

(B) using false or altered evidence of identity or residence;

(C) using a false or an altered account number; or

(D) using a false or an altered check, draft, order or electronic instrument;

(2) by:

(A) depositing the minimum initial deposit required to open an account; and

(B) either making no additional deposits or making insufficient additional deposits to insure debits to the account; or

(3) by opening accounts with more than one (1) financial institution in either a consecutive or concurrent time period;

commits check fraud, a Class A misdemeanor.

(c) However, an offense under subsection (b) is:

(1) a Level 6 felony if the aggregate amount of property obtained is at least seven hundred fifty dollars ($750) and less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000); and

(2) a Level 5 felony if the aggregate amount of the property obtained is at least fifty thousand dollars ($50,000).

As added by P.L.161-1994, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.79-1998, SEC.105; P.L.158-2013, SEC.485.