Fraud is defined generally as the wrongful or criminal act to deceive someone for one’s own financial or personal gain. Legal definitions of fraud vary across countries, at the federal and state levels in the US, and even among states, but most have, at their core, the use of deception to make a gain by unlawful or unfair means. Many types of fraud exist, including occupational, operational, investor, accounting, credit card and insurance fraud, but all forms share the fact that the perpetrator knowingly receives a benefit to which they’re not rightfully entitled. The purpose of fraud may be financial gain but also covers the acquisition of other benefits, such as obtaining a driver’s license, a passport or other travel documents, or qualifying for a mortgage by using falsified documents or making false statements.
