Legal Definitions - wire fraud

Wire fraud is a type of crime that involves using electronic communication, such as phone calls, emails, or text messages, to deceive someone and steal their money or property. In order for someone to be convicted of wire fraud, several things must be proven:

• The person was involved in a scheme to defraud someone
• The scheme involved lying or leaving out important information
• The scheme caused the victim to lose money, property, or services
• The person used electronic communication to carry out the scheme

For example, imagine someone sends an email to a group of people claiming to be a representative of a charity and asking for donations. The email includes a link to a fake website where people can enter their credit card information. The person who sent the email has committed wire fraud because they used electronic communication to deceive people and steal their money.

Another example could be someone calling an elderly person and pretending to be their grandchild in trouble. They ask for money to be wired to them immediately. The elderly person wires the money, but later finds out it was a scam. The person who made the phone call has committed wire fraud because they used electronic communication to deceive the elderly person and steal their money.