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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>350442</law_id><section_number>18.2-196.1</section_number><catch_line>Unlawful use of payment card scanning devices and re-encoders; penalty</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="52" identifier="18.2">Crimes and Offenses Generally</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="6" identifier="6">Crimes Involving Fraud</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="7" identifier="6">Offenses Relating to Credit Cards</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> Any person who with <span class="dictionary">malicious</span> <span class="dictionary">intent</span> uses a <span class="dictionary">scanning device</span> or a <span class="dictionary">re-encoder</span> on the payment card of another without the permission of the <span class="dictionary">authorized payment card user</span> is guilty of a Class 1 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>. <a id="paragraph-1305651" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-196.1/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Any person who violates this section and sells or distributes such information to another is guilty of a Class 6 <span class="dictionary">felony</span>. <a id="paragraph-1305652" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-196.1/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Any person who violates this section and uses such information in the commission of another <span class="dictionary">crime</span> is guilty of a Class 6 <span class="dictionary">felony</span>. <a id="paragraph-1305653" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-196.1/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> For the purposes of this section: <a id="paragraph-1305654" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-196.1/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D1" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">1.</span> &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Authorized payment card user</span>&#x201D; means any person with the authorization or permission to use any payment card to obtain, purchase, or receive goods, services, money, or anything else of value from a <span class="dictionary">merchant</span>. <a id="paragraph-1305655" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-196.1/#D1"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D2" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">2.</span> &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Merchant</span>&#x201D; means an owner or operator of any mercantile establishment or any agent, employee, lessee, consignee, officer, director, franchisee, or independent contractor of such owner or operator who <span class="dictionary">receives</span> from an <span class="dictionary">authorized payment card user</span> or someone he believes to be an <span class="dictionary">authorized payment card user</span>, a payment card or information from a payment card, or what he believes to be a payment card or information from a payment card, as the instrument for obtaining, purchasing or <span class="dictionary">receiving</span> goods, services, money, or anything else of value from him. <a id="paragraph-1305656" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-196.1/#D2"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D3" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">3.</span> &#x201C;Payment card&#x201D; means a <span class="dictionary">credit card</span>, charge card, debit card, hotel key card, stored-value card, white plastic, or any other card containing encoded information that allows an <span class="dictionary">authorized payment card user</span> to obtain, purchase, or receive goods, services, money, or anything else of value from a <span class="dictionary">merchant</span>. <a id="paragraph-1305657" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-196.1/#D3"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D4" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">4.</span> &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Re-encoder</span>&#x201D; means an electronic device that transfers encoded information from the magnetic strip or stripe of a payment card onto the magnetic strip or stripe of a different payment card. <a id="paragraph-1305658" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-196.1/#D4"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D5" class="indent-1"><p><span class="prefix-number">5.</span> &#x201C;<span class="dictionary">Scanning device</span>&#x201D; means a scanner, reader, or any other electronic device that is used to access, read, scan, obtain, memorize, temporarily store, or permanently store encoded information on the magnetic strip or stripe of a payment card. <a id="paragraph-1305659" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/18.2-196.1/#D5"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2005, c. 166.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
