Assembly Bill No. 83–Committee on Judiciary

(On Behalf of Clark County)

February 4, 1999

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Referred to Committee on Judiciary

 

SUMMARY—Provides that certain crimes and civil actions concerning credit cards also apply to debit cards. (BDR 15-273)

FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: Yes.

Effect on the State or on Industrial Insurance: Yes.

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. Green numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).

 

AN ACT relating to debit cards; providing that certain crimes and civil actions concerning credit cards also apply to debit cards; providing penalties; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

1-1 Section 1. Chapter 205 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto

1-2 a new section to read as follows:

1-3 "Debit card" means any instrument or device, whether known as a

1-4 debit card or by any other name, that is issued with or without a fee by an

1-5 issuer for the use of the cardholder in obtaining money, property, goods,

1-6 services or anything else of value, subject to the issuer removing money

1-7 from the checking account or savings account of the cardholder.

1-8 Sec. 2. NRS 205.610 is hereby amended to read as follows:

1-9 205.610 As used in NRS 205.610 to 205.810, inclusive, and section 1

1-10 of this act, unless the context otherwise requires, the words and terms

1-11 defined in NRS 205.620 to 205.670, inclusive, and section 1 of this act

1-12 have the meanings ascribed to them in those sections.

1-13 Sec. 3. NRS 205.620 is hereby amended to read as follows:

1-14 205.620 "Cardholder" means the person or organization named on the

1-15 face of a credit card or debit card to whom or for whose benefit the credit

1-16 card or debit card is issued by an issuer.

2-1 Sec. 4. NRS 205.640 is hereby amended to read as follows:

2-2 205.640 "Expired credit card ["] or debit card" means a credit card

2-3 [which] or debit card that is no longer valid because the term shown on it

2-4 has elapsed.

2-5 Sec. 5. NRS 205.650 is hereby amended to read as follows:

2-6 205.650 "Issuer" means the business organization, financial institution

2-7 or a duly authorized agent of a business organization or financial

2-8 institution which issues a credit card [.] or debit card.

2-9 Sec. 6. NRS 205.670 is hereby amended to read as follows:

2-10 205.670 "Revoked credit card ["] or debit card" means a credit card

2-11 [which] or debit card that is no longer valid because permission to use it

2-12 has been suspended or terminated by the issuer.

2-13 Sec. 7. NRS 205.680 is hereby amended to read as follows:

2-14 205.680 Any person who, for the purpose of procuring the issuance of

2-15 a credit card [,] or debit card, makes or causes to be made, either directly

2-16 or indirectly, any false statement in writing, knowing it to be false, with

2-17 intent that it be relied on respecting his identity or financial condition or

2-18 the identity or financial condition of any other person, firm or corporation

2-19 is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

2-20 Sec. 8. NRS 205.690 is hereby amended to read as follows:

2-21 205.690 1. A person who steals, takes or removes a credit card or

2-22 debit card from the person, possession, custody or control of another

2-23 without the cardholder’s consent or who, with knowledge that a credit card

2-24 or debit card has been so taken, removed or stolen receives the credit card

2-25 or debit card with the intent to circulate, use or sell it or to transfer it to a

2-26 person other than the issuer or the cardholder, is guilty of a category D

2-27 felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130. In addition to

2-28 any other penalty, the court shall order the person to pay restitution.

2-29 2. A person who possesses a credit card or debit card without the

2-30 consent of the cardholder and with the intent to circulate, use, sell or

2-31 transfer the credit card or debit card with the intent to defraud is guilty of a

2-32 category D felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130. In

2-33 addition to any other penalty, the court shall order the person to pay

2-34 restitution.

2-35 3. A person who has in his possession or under his control two or more

2-36 credit cards or debit cards issued in the name of another person is

2-37 presumed to have obtained and to possess the credit cards or debit cards

2-38 with the knowledge that they have been stolen and with the intent to

2-39 circulate, use, sell or transfer them with the intent to defraud. The

2-40 presumption established by this subsection does not apply to the possession

2-41 of two or more credit cards or debit cards used in the regular course of the

2-42 possessor’s business or employment or where the possession is with the

2-43 consent of the cardholder.

3-1 4. The provisions of this section do not apply to a person employed by

3-2 or operating a business, including, but not limited to, a bank or other

3-3 financial institution, credit bureau, collection agency or credit reporting

3-4 agency, who, without the intent to defraud, lawfully furnishes to another

3-5 person or obtains the number or other identifying description of a credit

3-6 card , debit card or credit account in the ordinary course of that business or

3-7 employment or pursuant to a financial transaction entered into with a

3-8 customer.

3-9 5. [For the purposes of] As used in this section [, "credit] :

3-10 (a) "Credit card" includes , without limitation, the number or other

3-11 identifying description of a credit card or credit account.

3-12 (b) "Debit card" includes, without limitation, the number or other

3-13 identifying description of a debit card.

3-14 Sec. 9. NRS 205.710 is hereby amended to read as follows:

3-15 205.710 1. A person, except the issuer, who [sells] :

3-16 (a) Sells a credit card or debit card or the number or other identifying

3-17 description of a credit card , debit card or credit account [, or a person who

3-18 buys] ; or

3-19 (b) Buys a credit card , debit card or the number or other identifying

3-20 description of a credit card , debit card or credit account from a person

3-21 other than the issuer ,

3-22 is guilty of a category D felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS

3-23 193.130.

3-24 2. The provisions of this section do not apply to a person employed by

3-25 or operating a business, including, but not limited to, a bank or other

3-26 financial institution, credit bureau, collection agency or credit reporting

3-27 agency, who, without the intent to defraud, lawfully furnishes to another

3-28 person or obtains the number or other identifying description of a credit

3-29 card , debit card or credit account in the ordinary course of that business or

3-30 employment or pursuant to a financial transaction entered into with a

3-31 customer.

3-32 Sec. 10. NRS 205.720 is hereby amended to read as follows:

3-33 205.720 A person who, with the intent to defraud, obtains control over

3-34 a credit card or debit card as security for debt is guilty of a category D

3-35 felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130. In addition to

3-36 any other penalty, the court shall order the person to pay restitution.

3-37 Sec. 11. NRS 205.740 is hereby amended to read as follows:

3-38 205.740 1. A person who, with the intent to defraud, falsely makes

3-39 or falsely embosses a purported credit card or debit card or utters such a

3-40 credit card or debit card is guilty of a category D felony and shall be

3-41 punished as provided in NRS 193.130. In addition to any other penalty, the

3-42 court shall order the person to pay restitution.

4-1 2. A person, except the purported issuer, who possesses two or more

4-2 credit cards [which] or debit cards that are falsely made or falsely

4-3 embossed is presumed to have violated this section.

4-4 3. For the purpose of this section:

4-5 (a) A person "falsely makes" a credit card or debit card when he alters

4-6 a validly issued credit card or debit card or makes or draws, in whole or in

4-7 part, a device or instrument which purports to be the credit card or debit

4-8 card of a named issuer where the issuer did not authorize the making or

4-9 drawing.

4-10 (b) A person "falsely embosses" a credit card or debit card when,

4-11 without the authorization of the named issuer, he completes a credit card or

4-12 debit card by adding any matter, except the signature of the cardholder,

4-13 which the issuer requires to appear on the credit card or debit card before

4-14 the credit card or debit card can be used by a cardholder.

4-15 Sec. 12. NRS 205.750 is hereby amended to read as follows:

4-16 205.750 A person, except the cardholder or a person authorized by the

4-17 cardholder, who signs a credit card, debit card, sales slip, sales draft or

4-18 instrument for the payment of money which evidences a credit card or

4-19 debit card transaction with the intent to defraud is guilty of a category D

4-20 felony and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130. In addition to

4-21 any other penalty, the court shall order the person to pay restitution.

4-22 Sec. 13. NRS 205.760 is hereby amended to read as follows:

4-23 205.760 1. [A] Unless a greater penalty is provided pursuant to

4-24 NRS 205.222 for a violation of subsection 2 of NRS 205.220, a person

4-25 who, with the intent to defraud:

4-26 (a) Uses a credit card or debit card to obtain money, goods, property,

4-27 services or anything of value where the credit card or debit card was

4-28 obtained or retained in violation of NRS 205.690 to 205.750, inclusive, or

4-29 where the person knows the credit card or debit card is forged or is the

4-30 expired or revoked credit card or debit card of another;

4-31 (b) Uses the number or other identifying description of a credit account,

4-32 customarily evidenced by a credit card [,] or the number or other

4-33 identifying description of a debit card, to obtain money, goods, property,

4-34 services or anything of value without the consent of the cardholder; or

4-35 (c) Obtains money, goods, property, services or anything else of value

4-36 by representing, without the consent of the cardholder, that he is the

4-37 authorized holder of a specified card or that he is the holder of a card

4-38 where the card has not in fact been issued,

4-39 is guilty of a public offense and shall be punished for a category D felony

4-40 as provided in NRS 193.130. In addition to any other penalty, the court

4-41 shall order the person to pay restitution.

5-1 2. [A] Unless a greater penalty is provided pursuant to NRS 205.222

5-2 for a violation of subsection 2 of NRS 205.220, a person who, with the

5-3 intent to defraud, uses a credit card or debit card to obtain money, goods,

5-4 property, services or anything of value where the credit card or debit card

5-5 was issued in his name and which he knows is revoked or expired, or when

5-6 he knows he does not have sufficient money or property with which to pay

5-7 for the extension of credit [,] or to cover the debit from the account linked

5-8 to his debit card, shall be punished, where the amount of money or the

5-9 value of the goods, property, services or other things of value so obtained

5-10 in any 6-month period is:

5-11 (a) One hundred dollars or more, for a category D felony as provided in

5-12 NRS 193.130. In addition to any other penalty, the court shall order the

5-13 person to pay restitution.

5-14 (b) Less than $100, for a misdemeanor.

5-15 3. A person is presumed to have knowledge of the revocation of a

5-16 credit card or debit card 4 days after notice of the revocation has been

5-17 mailed to him by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, at

5-18 the address set forth on the credit card or debit card or at his last known

5-19 address. If the address is more than 500 miles from the place of mailing,

5-20 notice must be sent by airmail. If the address is located outside the United

5-21 States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Canal Zone and Canada, notice

5-22 may be presumed to have been received 10 days after the mailing.

5-23 Sec. 14. NRS 205.765 is hereby amended to read as follows:

5-24 205.765 In a criminal action for using a credit card or debit card to

5-25 obtain money, goods, property, services or anything of value with

5-26 insufficient money or property with which to pay for the extension of

5-27 credit, with intent to defraud, that intent and the knowledge that the holder

5-28 of the credit card has insufficient money or property is presumed to exist if

5-29 payment is refused by the issuer or other creditor when it is presented in

5-30 the usual course of business, unless within 5 days after payment is refused

5-31 by the issuer if the action involves the use of a debit card or within 10

5-32 days after payment is refused by the issuer [,] if the action involves the use

5-33 of a credit card, the holder of the credit card pays the full amount due plus

5-34 any handling charges.

5-35 Sec. 15. NRS 205.770 is hereby amended to read as follows:

5-36 205.770 A person who is authorized by an issuer to furnish money,

5-37 goods, services or anything else of value upon presentation of a credit card

5-38 or debit card by the cardholder, or an agent or employee of the authorized

5-39 person, who, with the intent to defraud, furnishes money, goods, property,

5-40 services or anything else of value upon presentation of a credit card

5-41 [which] or debit card that the person, employee or agent knows was

5-42 obtained or retained in violation of NRS 205.690 to 205.750, inclusive, or

5-43 is forged, expired or revoked is guilty of a category D felony and shall be

6-1 punished as provided in NRS 193.130. In addition to any other penalty, the

6-2 court shall order the person to pay restitution.

6-3 Sec. 16. NRS 205.780 is hereby amended to read as follows:

6-4 205.780 A person who is authorized by an issuer to furnish money,

6-5 goods, property, services or anything of value upon presentation of a credit

6-6 card or debit card by the cardholder, or an agent or employee of the

6-7 authorized person, who, with the intent to defraud, misrepresents to the

6-8 issuer the value of the goods he furnishes or who fails to furnish money,

6-9 goods, property, services or anything else of value which he represents in

6-10 writing to the issuer that he has furnished is guilty of a category D felony

6-11 and shall be punished as provided in NRS 193.130. In addition to any other

6-12 penalty, the court shall order the person to pay restitution.

6-13 Sec. 17. NRS 205.790 is hereby amended to read as follows:

6-14 205.790 1. A person, except the cardholder, who possesses two or

6-15 more incomplete credit cards or debit cards with the intent to complete

6-16 them without the consent of the issuer, or a person who, with knowledge of

6-17 its character, possesses machinery, plates or any other contrivance

6-18 designed to produce instruments which purport to be the credit cards or

6-19 debit cards of an issuer who has not consented to the preparation of such

6-20 credit cards or debit cards is guilty of a category D felony and shall be

6-21 punished as provided in NRS 193.130.

6-22 2. As used in this section, a credit card or debit card is "incomplete" if

6-23 part of the matter, except the signature of the cardholder, required by an

6-24 issuer to appear on the credit card or debit card has not yet been stamped,

6-25 embossed, imprinted or written on the credit card [.] or debit card.

6-26 Sec. 18. NRS 41.620 is hereby amended to read as follows:

6-27 41.620 1. Any person who:

6-28 (a) Makes, utters, draws or delivers a check or draft for the payment of

6-29 money drawn upon any financial institution or other person, when he has

6-30 no account with the drawee of the instrument or has insufficient money,

6-31 property or credit with the drawee to pay; or

6-32 (b) Uses a credit card or debit card to obtain money, goods, property,

6-33 services or anything of value, when he knows or should have known the

6-34 credit card or debit card is no longer valid,

6-35 and who fails to pay the amount in cash to the payee, issuer or other

6-36 creditor within 30 days after a demand therefor in writing is mailed to him

6-37 by certified mail, is liable to the payee, issuer or other creditor for the

6-38 amount of the check, draft or extension of credit, and damages equal to

6-39 three times the amount of the check, draft or extension of credit, but not

6-40 less than $100 nor more than $500.

7-1 2. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

7-2 (a) "Credit card" has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 205.630; [and]

7-3 (b) "Debit card" has the meaning ascribed to it in section 1 of this act;

7-4 and

7-5 (c) "Issuer" has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 205.650.

7-6 Sec. 19. The amendatory provisions of this act do not apply to

7-7 offenses that are committed before October 1, 1999.

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