{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/18.2-196.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/18.2-196.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/18.2-196.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/18.2-196.html"}],"law_id":350443,"edition_id":2,"section_id":350443,"structure_id":50152,"section_number":"18.2-196","catch_line":"Criminal possession of credit card forgery devices","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-125.7; 1968, c. 480; 1975, cc. 14, 15.","full_text":"1\n\nA person is guilty of criminal possession of credit card forgery devices when:\n\na\n\nHe is a person other than the cardholder and possesses two or more incomplete credit cards, with intent to complete them without the consent of the issuer; or\n\nb\n\nHe possesses, with knowledge of its character, machinery, plates or any other contrivance designed to reproduce instruments purporting to be credit cards of an issuer who has not consented to the preparation of such credit cards.\n\n2\n\nA credit card is incomplete if part of the matter, other than the signature of the cardholder, which an issuer requires to appear on the credit card before it can be used by a cardholder, has not yet been stamped, embossed, imprinted or written upon.\n\t\t\tConviction of criminal possession of credit card forgery devices is punishable as a Class 6 felony.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1305660,"text":"A person is guilty of criminal possession of credit card forgery devices when:","type":"section","prefixes":["1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"1","prefix_anchor":"1","level":1,"next_prefix":"1a"},"1":{"id":1305661,"text":"He is a person other than the cardholder and possesses two or more incomplete credit cards, with intent to complete them without the consent of the issuer; or","type":"section","prefixes":["1","a"],"prefix":"a","entire_prefix":"1a","prefix_anchor":"1a","level":2,"prior_prefix":"1","next_prefix":"1b"},"2":{"id":1305662,"text":"He possesses, with knowledge of its character, machinery, plates or any other contrivance designed to reproduce instruments purporting to be credit cards of an issuer who has not consented to the preparation of such credit cards.","type":"section","prefixes":["1","b"],"prefix":"b","entire_prefix":"1b","prefix_anchor":"1b","level":2,"prior_prefix":"1a","next_prefix":"2"},"3":{"id":1305663,"text":"A credit card is incomplete if part of the matter, other than the signature of the cardholder, which an issuer requires to appear on the credit card before it can be used by a cardholder, has not yet been stamped, embossed, imprinted or written upon.\n\t\t\tConviction of criminal possession of credit card forgery devices is punishable as a Class 6 felony.","type":"section","prefixes":["2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"2","prefix_anchor":"2","level":1,"prior_prefix":"1b"}},"ancestry":[{"id":50152,"edition_id":2,"name":"Offenses Relating to Credit Cards","identifier":"6","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":7,"parent_id":50144,"metadata":{"child_laws":13,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:23:24","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:20","permalink":{"id":1393191,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50152,"identifier":"6","token":"18.2\/6\/6","url":"\/18.2\/6\/6\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50144,"edition_id":2,"name":"Crimes Involving Fraud","identifier":"6","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":6,"parent_id":50131,"metadata":{"child_laws":136,"child_structures":11},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:23:18","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:19","permalink":{"id":1392935,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50144,"identifier":"6","token":"18.2\/6","url":"\/18.2\/6\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":50131,"edition_id":2,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":52,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":960,"child_structures":94},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:22:59","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:30:15","permalink":{"id":1391141,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":50131,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":350435,"structure_id":50152,"section_number":"18.2-191","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/18.2-191\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-191","metadata":false},{"id":350436,"structure_id":50152,"section_number":"18.2-192","catch_line":"Credit card theft","url":"\/18.2-192\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-192","metadata":false},{"id":350437,"structure_id":50152,"section_number":"18.2-193","catch_line":"Credit card forgery","url":"\/18.2-193\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-193","metadata":false},{"id":350438,"structure_id":50152,"section_number":"18.2-194","catch_line":"Unauthorized possession of two or more signed credit cards or credit card numbers","url":"\/18.2-194\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-194","metadata":false},{"id":350441,"structure_id":50152,"section_number":"18.2-195","catch_line":"Credit card fraud; conspiracy; penalties","url":"\/18.2-195\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-195","metadata":false},{"id":350439,"structure_id":50152,"section_number":"18.2-195.1","catch_line":"Credit card factoring","url":"\/18.2-195.1\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-195.1","metadata":false},{"id":350440,"structure_id":50152,"section_number":"18.2-195.2","catch_line":"Fraudulent application for credit card; penalties","url":"\/18.2-195.2\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-195.2","metadata":false},{"id":350443,"structure_id":50152,"section_number":"18.2-196","catch_line":"Criminal possession of credit card forgery devices","url":"\/18.2-196\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-196","metadata":false},{"id":350442,"structure_id":50152,"section_number":"18.2-196.1","catch_line":"Unlawful use of payment card scanning devices and re-encoders; penalty","url":"\/18.2-196.1\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-196.1","metadata":false},{"id":350444,"structure_id":50152,"section_number":"18.2-197","catch_line":"Criminally receiving goods and services fraudulently obtained","url":"\/18.2-197\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-197","metadata":false},{"id":350446,"structure_id":50152,"section_number":"18.2-198","catch_line":"Obtaining airline, railroad, steamship, etc., ticket at discount price","url":"\/18.2-198\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-198","metadata":false},{"id":350445,"structure_id":50152,"section_number":"18.2-198.1","catch_line":"Venue","url":"\/18.2-198.1\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-198.1","metadata":false},{"id":350447,"structure_id":50152,"section_number":"18.2-199","catch_line":"Penalties for violation of article","url":"\/18.2-199\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-199","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":350440,"structure_id":50152,"section_number":"18.2-195.2","catch_line":"Fraudulent application for credit card; penalties","url":"\/18.2-195.2\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-195.2","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":350442,"structure_id":50152,"section_number":"18.2-196.1","catch_line":"Unlawful use of payment card scanning devices and re-encoders; penalty","url":"\/18.2-196.1\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-196.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-196\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1968, chapter 480; in 1975, chapters 14 and 15.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1393221,"object_type":"law","relational_id":350443,"identifier":"18.2-196","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-196","url":"\/18.2-196\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-196\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-196","dublin_core":{"Title":"Criminal possession of credit card forgery devices","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-196","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> A person is guilty of criminal possession<\/span> of credit card<\/span> forgery<\/span> devices when: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

a.<\/span> He is a person other than the cardholder<\/span> and possesses two or more incomplete credit cards<\/span>, with intent<\/span> to complete them without the consent of the issuer<\/span>; or <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

b.<\/span> He possesses, with knowledge of its character, machinery, plates or any other contrivance designed to reproduce instruments purporting to be credit cards<\/span> of an issuer<\/span> who has not consented to the preparation of such credit cards<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> A credit card<\/span> is incomplete if part of the matter, other than the signature of the cardholder<\/span>, which an issuer<\/span> requires to appear on the credit card<\/span> before it can be used by a cardholder<\/span>, has not yet been stamped, embossed, imprinted or written upon.\n\t\t\tConviction<\/span> of criminal possession<\/span> of credit card<\/span> forgery<\/span> devices is punishable as a Class 6 felony<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nCRIMINAL POSSESSION OF CREDIT CARD FORGERY DEVICES (\u00a7 18.2-196)\n\n1. A person is guilty of criminal possession of credit card forgery devices\nwhen:\n\n a. He is a person other than the cardholder and possesses two or more\n incomplete credit cards, with intent to complete them without the consent of\n the issuer; or\n\n b. He possesses, with knowledge of its character, machinery, plates or any\n other contrivance designed to reproduce instruments purporting to be credit\n cards of an issuer who has not consented to the preparation of such credit\n cards.\n\n2. A credit card is incomplete if part of the matter, other than the signature\nof the cardholder, which an issuer requires to appear on the credit card before\nit can be used by a cardholder, has not yet been stamped, embossed, imprinted or\nwritten upon.\n\t\t\tConviction of criminal possession of credit card forgery devices is\npunishable as a Class 6 felony.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-125.7; 1968, c. 480; 1975, cc. 14, 15.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}