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 Tennessee, credit card fraud and identity theft are serious criminal offenses. Under Tennessee law, credit card fraud may include the unauthorized use of another person's credit card information for the purpose of obtaining money, goods, services, or anything else of value, or to make a financial payment. This encompasses both the physical use of a stolen or lost credit card and the unauthorized use of credit card details such as the account number, PIN, and security code for card-not-present transactions. Identity theft is addressed under Tennessee Code Annotated § 39-14-150, which makes it illegal to knowingly obtain, possess, or use the personal identifying information of another individual without their consent, with the intent to commit an unlawful act. Penalties for these crimes can range from fines to imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offense and the value of the fraudulent transactions. Victims of credit card fraud or identity theft in Tennessee are encouraged to report the crime to law enforcement and may also need to contact their financial institutions to protect their accounts.