The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 13 : Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Chapter 043 : Forgery and Counterfeiting

• § 1816. Possession or use of credit card skimming devices and re-encoders

  (a) A person who knowingly, wittingly, and with the intent to defraud possesses a scanning device, or who knowingly, wittingly, and with intent to defraud uses a scanning device to access, read, obtain, memorize, or store, temporarily or permanently, information encoded on the computer chip or magnetic strip of a payment card without the permission of the authorized user of the payment card shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years or fined not more than $10,000.00, or both.

  (b) A person who knowingly, wittingly, and with the intent to defraud possesses a re-encoder, or who knowingly, wittingly, and with the intent to defraud uses a re-encoder to place encoded information on the computer chip or magnetic strip or stripe of a payment card or any electronic medium that allows an authorized transaction to occur without the permission of the authorized user of the payment card from which the information is being re-encoded shall be imprisoned not more than 10 years or fined not more than $10,000.00, or both.

  (c) Any scanning device or re-encoder described in subsection (e) of this section allegedly possessed or used in violation of subsection (a) or (b) of this section shall be seized and upon conviction shall be forfeited. Upon forfeiture, any information on the scanning device or re-encoder shall be removed permanently.

  (d) Any computer, computer system, computer network, or any software or data owned by the defendant that are used during the commission of any public offense described in this section or any computer owned by the defendant that is used as a repository for the storage of software or data illegally obtained in violation of this section shall be subject to forfeiture.

  (e) For purposes of this section:

  (1) “Payment card” means a credit card, debit card, or any other card that is issued to an authorized user and that allows the user to obtain, purchase, or receive goods, services, money, or anything else of value.

  (2) “Re-encoder” means an electronic device that places encoded information from the computer chip or magnetic strip or stripe of a payment card onto the computer chip or magnetic strip or stripe of a different payment card or any electronic medium that allows an authorized transaction to occur.

  (3) “Scanning device” means a scanner, reader, or any other electronic device that is used to access, read, scan, obtain, memorize, or store, temporarily or permanently, information encoded on the computer chip or magnetic strip or stripe of a payment card.

  (f) Nothing in this section shall preclude prosecution under any other provision of law. (Added 2009, No. 116 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. May 21, 2010.)