Credit card fraud is when someone uses your credit card or credit account to make a purchase you didn't authorize. This activity can happen in different ways. For example, if you lose your credit card or have it stolen, it can be used to make purchases or other transactions, either in person or online. And fraudsters can also steal your credit card account number, PIN and security code to make unauthorized transactions, without needing your physical credit card—unlawful transactions like these are known as card-not-present fraud.

Identity theft involves the use of illegally obtained information about you, like your name, birthday, Social Security number, credit card numbers and more, in order to use existing credit accounts or open new ones in your name. When this happens, criminals capture the spending power of your credit while you get stuck with the bill.

In Maryland, credit card fraud and identity theft are serious criminal offenses. Under Maryland law, credit card fraud may include using a stolen or lost credit card to make unauthorized purchases, as well as using someone's credit card information without permission for transactions, which is known as card-not-present fraud. Maryland Criminal Law Code § 8-203 outlines the prohibitions against credit card theft, which includes possessing, controlling, or using someone else's credit card without consent, or using a counterfeit or altered card. Identity theft is addressed under Maryland Criminal Law Code § 8-301, which makes it illegal to knowingly, willfully, and with fraudulent intent possess, obtain, or help another to use personal identifying information of an individual without their consent, for the purpose of economic gain. Penalties for these crimes can include fines, restitution, and imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offense. Victims of credit card fraud or identity theft in Maryland are encouraged to report the crime to local law enforcement and may also need to contact their credit card issuer and credit bureaus to mitigate the damage to their credit and finances.