What Does FRAUD/USE/POSS ID INFO Mean?
People see “FRAUD/USE/POSS ID INFO – LESS THAN 5 ITEMS” on a court document or jail record and want to know what it means.
- FRAUD/USE/POSS = Fraudulent Use or Possession
- ID INFO = Identifying Information
- LESS THAN 5 ITEMS = Fewer Than Five Items of Identifying Information
The charge is using, possessing, or transferring another person’s identifying information—name, date of birth, Social Security number, driver’s license number, or similar—without that person’s consent and with intent to harm or defraud. The number of items determines the grade.
The statute and the punishment
The offense is defined in section 32.51 of the Texas Penal Code. The punishment is a state jail felony: 180 days to 2 years in a state jail facility and a fine of up to $10,000. Five or more but fewer than ten items is a third-degree felony; ten or more but fewer than fifty is a second-degree felony.
If your loved one has been arrested for this charge, read If Your Loved One Has Been Arrested.
For how this kind of case is defended, see Five Common Defenses in Possession Cases (and One Bennett Special).