Credit card fraud (also known as credit card abuse) is a criminal offense in every state and includes a broad range of fraudulent uses of credit or debit cards. Laws vary from state to state, and some states have separate criminal offenses for related crimes, such as the manufacturing of counterfeit credit cards.

Credit card fraud generally includes (1) using a stolen or illegally obtained credit or debit card to obtain goods or services; (2) using a fictitious credit or debit card or account number to obtain goods or services; (3) stealing a credit or debit card or, with knowledge that it has been stolen, receiving a credit or debit card with intent to use it, sell it, or transfer it to a person other than the issuer or the cardholder; (4) buying a credit or debit card from a person the buyer knows is not the issuer of the credit card (a bank); (5) selling a credit or debit card when the seller is not the authorized issuer of the card (a bank); (6) when a merchant—with the intent to defraud the card issuer (bank) or the cardholder—provides goods or services based on the presentation for payment of a credit or debit card the merchant knows is forged, expired, or revoked; or (7) when a merchant—with the intent to defraud the card issuer (bank) or the cardholder—fails to furnish goods or services it represents to the card issuer in writing that it has furnished.

The laws regarding criminal offenses related to credit card fraud are usually located in a state’s statutes—often in the penal or criminal code.

In Nevada, credit card fraud is considered a serious criminal offense and is covered under Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 205.760 through 205.840. These statutes define various forms of credit card fraud, including but not limited to: using a stolen or lost credit card, using a credit card without the cardholder's consent, using a fictitious credit card, and possessing equipment to make fraudulent credit cards. The law also addresses the possession and sale of credit or debit cards by individuals who are not the issuer, as well as merchant fraud, where a merchant knowingly accepts a fraudulent card or fails to provide goods or services while claiming to have done so. Penalties for credit card fraud in Nevada can range from misdemeanors to felonies, depending on the severity of the offense, the value of the fraudulent transactions, and the offender's criminal history. Convictions may result in fines, restitution, and imprisonment. It is advisable for individuals facing such charges or those who are victims of credit card fraud to consult with an attorney to understand their rights and obligations under Nevada law.