16-9-1.
(a) A person commits the offense of forgery in the first degree when with intent to defraud he knowingly makes, alters, or possesses any writing in a fictitious name or in such manner that the writing as made or altered purports to have been made by another person, at another time, with different provisions, or by authority of one who did not give such authority and utters or delivers such writing.
(b) A person convicted of the offense of forgery in the first degree shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years.

16-9-2. [ Index ]
(a) A person commits the offense of forgery in the second degree when with the intent to defraud he knowingly makes, alters, or possesses any writing in a fictitious name or in such manner that the writing as made or altered purports to have been made by another person, at another time, with different provisions, or by authority of one who did not give such authority.
(b) A person convicted of the offense of forgery in the second degree shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years.

16-9-3. [ Index ]
For purposes of Code Sections 16-9-1 and 16-9-2, the word 'writing' includes, but is not limited to, printing or any other method of recording information, money, coins, tokens, stamps, seals, credit cards, badges, trademarks, and other symbols of value, right, privilege, or identification.

16-9-4.
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Access device' means a unique electronic identification number, address, description, or routing code or a device containing a unique electronic identification number, address, description, or routing code issued to an individual which permits or facilitates entry into a facility or computer or provides access to the financial resources, including, but not limited, to the credit resources of the individual to whom the device or card is issued.
(2) 'Description' means any identifying information about a person, including, but not limited to, date of birth, place of birth, address, social security number, height, weight, hair or eye color, or unique biometric data such as fingerprint, voice print, retina or iris image, DNA profile, or other unique physical representation.
(3) 'Government agency' means any agency of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of government or political subdivision or authority thereof of this state, any other state, the United States, or any foreign government or international governmental or quasi-governmental agency recognized by the United States or by any of the several states.
(4) 'Identification document' means:
(A) Any document or card issued to an individual by a government agency or by the authority of a government agency containing the name of a person and a description of the person or such personīs photograph, or both, and includes, without being limited to, a passport, visa, military identification card, driverīs license, or an identification card;
(B) Any document issued to an individual for the purpose of identification by or with the authority of the holder of a trademark or trade name of another, as these terms are defined in Code Section 10-1-371, that contains the trademark or trade name and the name of the person to whom the document is issued and a description of the person or the personīs photograph, or both; or
(C) Any access device.
(b)(1) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly possess, display, or use any false, fictitious, fraudulent, or altered identification document.
(2) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly manufacture, alter, sell, distribute, deliver, possess with intent to sell, deliver, or distribute, or offer for sale, delivery, or distribution a false, fraudulent, or fictitious identification document or any identification document which contains any false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry.
(3) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly manufacture, alter, sell, distribute, deliver, possess with the intent to sell, deliver, or distribute, or offer for sale, delivery, or distribution any identification document containing the trademark or trade name of another without the written consent of the owner of the trademark or trade name.
(4) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly possess, display, or use any false, fictitious, fraudulent, or altered identification document containing the logo or legal or official seal of a government agency or any colorable imitation thereof in furtherance of a conspiracy or attempt to commit a violation of the criminal laws of this state or of the United States or any of the several states which is punishable by imprisonment for one year or more.
(5) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly manufacture, alter, sell, distribute, deliver, possess with the intent to sell, deliver, or distribute, or offer for sale or distribution any other identification document containing the logo or legal or official seal of a government agency or any colorable imitation thereof without the written consent of the government agency.
(6) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly possess, display, or use an identification document issued to or on behalf of another person without the permission or consent of the other person for a lawful purpose, unless the identification document is possessed, displayed, or used with the intent to restore it to the other person or government agency or other entity that issued the identification document to the person.
(c)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) or (3) of this subsection, any person who violates paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (6) of subsection (b) of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(2) Any person who violates paragraph (2), (3), or (6) of subsection (b) of this Code section for the second or any subsequent offense shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by a fine of not more than $25,000.00 or by imprisonment for not more than three years, or both.
(3) Any person who manufactures, alters, sells, distributes, delivers, receives, possesses, or offers for sale or distribution three or more identification documents in violation of subsection (b) of this Code section shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than three nor more than ten years, a fine not to exceed the amount specified by Code Section 17-10-8, or both.
(4) Any person who violates paragraph (4) or (5) of subsection (b) of this Code section shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years, a fine not to exceed the amount specified by Code Section 17-10-8, or both.
(5) Any person convicted of an attempt or conspiracy to violate subsection (b) of this Code section shall be punished by imprisonment, by a fine, or by both such punishments not to exceed the maximum punishment prescribed for the offense the commission of which was the object of the attempt or conspiracy.
(d) Each violation of this Code section shall constitute a separate offense.
(e) Any violation of this Code section shall be considered to have been committed in any county of this state in which the evidence shows that the identification document was manufactured, altered, sold, displayed, distributed, delivered, received, offered for sale or distribution, or possessed.
(f) The provisions of this Code section shall not apply to any lawfully authorized investigative, protective, or intelligence activity of an agency of the United States, this state, or any of the several states or their political subdivisions or any activity authorized under Chapter 224 of Title 18 of the United States Code or any similar such law relating to witness protection.
(g) It shall not be a defense to a violation of this Code section that a document contained words indicating that it is not an identification document unless there appears on the front and back of such document the word 'novelty' which is in a color which is not transparent on the design of the document, is in block letters not less than 40 point type in size, and is indelible ink.
(h)(1) Any property which is used, intended for use, or used in any manner to facilitate a violation of this Code section is contraband and forfeited to the state and no person shall have a property interest in it. Such property may be seized or detained in the same manner as provided in Code Section 16-13-49 and shall not be subject to replevin, conveyance, sequestration, or attachment.
(2) Within 60 days of the date of the seizure of contraband pursuant to this Code section, the district attorney shall initiate forfeiture or other proceedings as provided in Code Section 16-13-49. An owner or interest holder, as defined by subsection (a) of Code Section 16-13-49, may establish as a defense to the forfeiture of property which is subject to forfeiture under this Code section the applicable provisions of subsection (e) or (f) of Code Section 16-13-49. Property which is forfeited pursuant to this Code section shall be disposed of and distributed as provided in Code Section 16-13-49.
(3) If property subject to forfeiture cannot be located; has been transferred or conveyed to, sold to, or deposited with a third party; is beyond the jurisdiction of the court; has been substantially diminished in value while not in the actual physical custody of a receiver or governmental agency directed to maintain custody of the property; or has been commingled with other property that cannot be divided without difficulty, the court shall order the forfeiture of any property of a claimant or defendant up to the value of property found by the court to be subject to forfeiture under this subsection in accordance with the procedures set forth in subsection (x) of Code Section 16-13-49.
(4) The provisions of paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) of subsection (x) and subsection (z) of Code Section 16-13-49 shall be applicable to any proceedings brought pursuant to this subsection.
(i) It shall be an affirmative defense to the manufacturing, selling, or distributing of identification documents that contain false, fictitious, or altered information that the person manufacturing, selling, or distributing the documents used due diligence to ascertain the truth of the information contained in the identification document.

16-9-5. [ Index ]
(a) As used in this Code section, the term 'proof of insurance document' means any document issued by, on behalf of, or purportedly on behalf of an insurer to a motor vehicle policyholder or applicant for motor vehicle coverage, which document is designed to constitute proof or evidence of the minimum motor vehicle liability insurance required by law for the purposes of Code Section 40-6-10.
(b)(1) It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to manufacture, sell, or distribute a counterfeit or false proof of insurance document.
(2) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess a counterfeit or false proof of insurance document.
(3) A proof of insurance document shall be deemed counterfeit or false if the proof of insurance document has been altered, modified, or originally issued in any manner which contains false information concerning the insurer, the owner, the motor vehicle, or the insurance thereon.
(c)(1) Any person who violates paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of this Code section on the first offense shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Any person who violates paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of this Code section for the second or any subsequent offense shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by a fine of not more than $5,000.00 or by imprisonment for not more than three years, or both.
(2) Any person who violates paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

16-9-6. [ Index ]
Unless a greater penalty is specifically provided in this chapter, any violation of this chapter by a fiduciary in breach of a fiduciary obligation against a person who is 65 years of age or older shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than 15 years, a fine not to exceed the amount provided by Code Section 17-10-8, or both.

16-9-20. [ Index ]
(a) A person commits the offense of deposit account fraud when such person makes, draws, utters, executes, or delivers an instrument for the payment of money on any bank or other depository in exchange for a present consideration or wages, knowing that it will not be honored by the drawee. For the purposes of this Code section, it is prima-facie evidence that the accused knew that the instrument would not be honored if:
(1) The accused had no account with the drawee at the time the instrument was made, drawn, uttered, or delivered;
(2) Payment was refused by the drawee for lack of funds upon presentation within 30 days after delivery and the accused or someone for him or her shall not have tendered the holder thereof the amount due thereon, together with a service charge, within ten days after receiving written notice that payment was refused upon such instrument. For purposes of this paragraph:
(A) Notice mailed by certified or registered mail or statutory overnight delivery evidenced by return receipt to the person at the address printed on the instrument or given at the time of issuance shall be deemed sufficient and equivalent to notice having been received as of the date on the return receipt by the person making, drawing, uttering, executing, or delivering the instrument. A single notice as provided in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph shall be sufficient to cover all instruments on which payment was refused and which were delivered within a ten-day period by the accused to a single entity, provided that the form of notice lists and identifies each instrument; and
(B) The form of notice shall be substantially as follows:
'You are hereby notified that the following instrument(s)
Number Date Amount Name of Bank
__________ __________ __________ __________
__________ __________ __________ __________
__________ __________ __________ __________
__________ __________ __________ __________
__________ __________ __________ __________
drawn upon ____________ and payable to ___________, (has) (have) been dishonored. Pursuant to Georgia law, you have ten days from receipt of this notice to tender payment of the total amount of the instrument(s) plus the applicable service charge(s) of $________ and any fee charged to the holder of the instrument(s) by a bank or financial institution as a result of the instrument(s) not being honored, the total amount due being ____________ dollars and ______ cents. Unless this amount is paid in full within the specified time above, a presumption in law arises that you delivered the instrument(s) with the intent to defraud and the dishonored instrument(s) and all other available information relating to this incident may be submitted to the magistrate for the issuance of a criminal warrant or citation or to the district attorney or solicitor-general for criminal prosecution.'; or
(3) Notice mailed by certified or registered mail or statutory overnight delivery is returned undelivered to the sender when such notice was mailed within 90 days of dishonor to the person at the address printed on the instrument or given by the accused at the time of issuance of the instrument.
(b)(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection and subsection (c) of this Code section, a person convicted of the offense of deposit account fraud shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished as follows:
(A) When the instrument is for less than $100.00, a fine of not more than $500.00 or imprisonment not to exceed 12 months, or both;
(B) When the instrument is for $100.00 or more but less than $300.00, a fine of not more than $1,000.00 or imprisonment not to exceed 12 months, or both; or
(C) When more than one instrument is involved and such instruments were drawn within 90 days of one another and each is in an amount less than $100.00, the amounts of such separate instruments may be added together to arrive at and be punishable under subparagraph (B) of this paragraph.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection and subsection (c) of this Code section, a person convicted of the offense of deposit account fraud, when the instrument is for an amount of not less than $300.00 nor more than $499.99, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature. When more than one instrument is involved and such instruments were given to the same entity within a 15 day period and the cumulative total of such instruments is not less than $300.00 nor more than $499.99, the person drawing and giving such instruments shall upon conviction be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.
(3) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this Code section, a person convicted of the offense of deposit account fraud, when the instrument is for $500.00 or more, shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than $500.00 nor more than $5,000.00 or by imprisonment for not more than three years, or both.
(4) Upon conviction of a first or any subsequent offense under this subsection or subsection (c) of this Code section, in addition to any other punishment provided by this Code section, the defendant shall be required to make restitution of the amount of the instrument, together with all costs of bringing a complaint under this Code section. The court may require the defendant to pay as interest a monthly payment equal to 1 percent of the amount of the instrument. Such amount shall be paid each month in addition to any payments on the principal until the entire balance, including the principal and any unpaid interest payments, is paid in full. Such amount shall be paid without regard to any reduction in the principal balance owed. Costs shall be determined by the court from competent evidence of costs provided by the party causing the criminal warrant or citation to issue; provided, however, that the minimum costs shall not be less than $25.00. Restitution may be made while the defendant is serving a probated or suspended sentence.
(c) A person who commits the offense of deposit account fraud by the making, drawing, uttering, executing, or delivering of an instrument on a bank of another state shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years or by a fine in an amount of up to $1,000.00, or both.
(d) The prosecuting authority of the court with jurisdiction over a violation of subsection (c) of this Code section may seek extradition for criminal prosecution of any person not within this state who flees the state to avoid prosecution under this Code section.
(e) In any prosecution or action under this Code section, an instrument for which the information required in this subsection is available at the time of issuance shall constitute prima-facie evidence of the identity of the party issuing or executing the instrument and that the person was a party authorized to draw upon the named account. To establish this prima-facie evidence, the following information regarding the identity of the party presenting the instrument shall be obtained by the party receiving such instrument: the full name, residence address, and home phone number.
(1) Such information may be provided by either of two methods:
(A) The information may be recorded upon the instrument itself; or
(B) The number of a check-cashing identification card issued by the receiving party may be recorded on the instrument. The check-cashing identification card shall be issued only after the information required in this subsection has been placed on file by the receiving party.
(2) In addition to the information required in this subsection, the party receiving an instrument shall witness the signature or endorsement of the party presenting such instrument and as evidence of such the receiving party shall initial the instrument.
(f) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Bank' shall include a financial institution as defined in this Code section.
(2) 'Conviction' shall include the entering of a guilty plea, the entering of a plea of nolo contendere, or the forfeiting of bail.
(3) 'Financial institution' shall have the same meaning as defined in paragraph (21) of Code Section 7-1-4 and shall also include a national bank, a state or federal savings bank, a state or federal credit union, and a state or federal savings and loan association.
(4) 'Holder in due course' shall have the same meaning as in Code Section 11-3-302.
(5) 'Instrument' means a check, draft, debit card sales draft, or order for the payment of money.
(6) 'Present consideration' shall include without limitation:
(A) An obligation or debt of rent which is past due or presently due;
(B) An obligation or debt of state taxes which is past due or presently due;
(C) An obligation or debt which is past due or presently due for child support when made for the support of such minor child and which is given pursuant to an order of court or written agreement signed by the person making the payment;
(D) A simultaneous agreement for the extension of additional credit where additional credit is being denied; and
(E) A written waiver of mechanic?s or materialmen?s lien rights.
(7) 'State taxes' shall include payments made to the Georgia Department of Labor as required by Chapter 8 of Title 34.
(g) This Code section shall in no way affect the authority of a sentencing judge to provide for a sentence to be served on weekends or during the nonworking hours of the defendant as provided in Code Section 17-10-3.
(h)(1) Any party holding a worthless instrument and giving notice in substantially similar form to that provided in subparagraph (a)(2)(B) of this Code section shall be immune from civil liability for the giving of such notice and for proceeding as required under the forms of such notice; provided, however, that, if any person shall be arrested or prosecuted for violation of this Code section and payment of any instrument shall have been refused because the maker or drawer had no account with the bank or other depository on which such instrument was drawn, the one causing the arrest or prosecution shall be deemed to have acted with reasonable or probable cause even though he, she, or it has not mailed the written notice or waited for the ten-day period to elapse. In any civil action for damages which may be brought by the person who made, drew, uttered, executed, or delivered such instrument, no evidence of statements or representations as to the status of the instrument involved or of any collateral agreement with reference to the instrument shall be admissible unless such statements, representations, or collateral agreement shall be written simultaneously with or upon the instrument at the time it is delivered by the maker thereof.
(2) Except as otherwise provided by law, any party who holds a worthless instrument, who complies with the requirements of subsection (a) of this Code section, and who causes a criminal warrant or citation to be issued shall not forfeit his or her right to continue or pursue civil remedies authorized by law for the collection of the worthless instrument; provided, however, that if interest is awarded and collected on any amount ordered by the court as restitution in the criminal case, interest shall not be collectable in any civil action on the same amount. It shall be deemed conclusive evidence that any action is brought upon probable cause and without malice where such party holding a worthless instrument has complied with the provisions of subsection (a) of this Code section regardless of whether the criminal charges are dismissed by a court due to payment in full of the face value of the instrument and applicable service charges subsequent to the date that affidavit for the warrant or citation is made. In any civil action for damages which may be brought by the person who made, drew, uttered, executed, or delivered such instrument, no evidence of statements or representations as to the status of the instrument involved or of any collateral agreement with reference to the instrument shall be admissible unless such statements, representations, or collateral agreement shall be written simultaneously with or upon the instrument at the time it is delivered by the maker thereof.
(i) Notwithstanding paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of this Code section or any other law on usury, charges, or fees on loans or credit extensions, any lender of money or extender of other credit who receives an instrument drawn on a bank or other depository institution given by any person in full or partial repayment of a loan, installment payment, or other extension of credit may, if such instrument is not paid or is dishonored by such institution, charge and collect from the borrower or person to whom the credit was extended a bad instrument charge. This charge shall not be deemed interest or a finance or other charge made as an incident to or as a condition to the granting of the loan or other extension of credit and shall not be included in determining the limit on charges which may be made in connection with the loan or extension of credit or any other law of this state.
(j) For purposes of this Code section, no service charge or bad instrument charge shall exceed $30.00 or 5 percent of the face amount of the instrument, whichever is greater, except that the holder of the instrument may also charge the maker an additional fee in an amount equal to that charged to the holder by the bank or financial institution as a result of the instrument not being honored.
(k) An action under this Code section may be prosecuted by the party initially receiving a worthless instrument or by any subsequent holder in due course of any such worthless instrument.

16-9-21. [ Index ]
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to print or cause to be printed checks, drafts, orders, or debit card sales drafts, drawn upon any financial institution or to execute or negotiate any check, draft, order, or debit card sales draft knowing that the account number, routing number, or other information printed on such check, draft, order, or debit card sales draft is in error, fictitious, or assigned to another account holder or financial institution.
(b) Any person who violates subsection (a) of this Code section shall be punished by a fine of not more than $5,000.00 or by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than five years, or both.

16-9-30. [ Index ]
As used in this article, the term:
(1) 'Acquirer' means a business organization, financial institution, or an agent of a business organization or financial institution that authorizes a merchant to accept payment by financial transaction card for money, goods, services, or anything else of value.
(2) 'Automated banking device' means any machine which when properly activated by a financial transaction card and personal identification code may be used for any of the purposes for which a financial transaction card may be used.
(3) 'Cardholder' means the person or organization named on the face of a financial transaction card to whom or for whose benefit the financial transaction card is issued by an issuer.
(4) 'Expired financial transaction card' means a financial transaction card which is no longer valid because the term for which it was issued has elapsed.
(5) 'Financial transaction card' or 'FTC' means any instrument or device, whether known as a credit card, credit plate, bank services card, banking card, check guarantee card, debit card, or by any other name, issued with or without fee by an issuer for the use of the cardholder:
(A) In obtaining money, goods, services, or anything else of value;
(B) In certifying or guaranteeing to a person or business the availability to the cardholder of funds on deposit that are equal to or greater than the amount necessary to honor a draft or check payable to the order of such person or business; or
(C) In providing the cardholder access to a demand deposit account, savings account, or time deposit account for the purpose of:
(i) Making deposits of money or checks therein;
(ii) Withdrawing funds in the form of money, money orders, or travelerīs checks therefrom;
(iii) Transferring funds from any demand deposit account, savings account, or time deposit account to any other demand deposit account, savings account, or time deposit account;
(iv) Transferring funds from any demand deposit account, savings account, or time deposit account to any credit card accounts, overdraft privilege accounts, loan accounts, or any other credit accounts in full or partial satisfaction of any outstanding balance owed existing therein;
(v) For the purchase of goods, services, or anything else of value; or
(vi) Obtaining information pertaining to any demand deposit account, savings account, or time deposit account.
(5.1) 'Financial transaction card account number' means a number, numerical code, alphabetical code, or alphanumeric code assigned by the issuer to a particular financial transaction card and which identifies the cardholderīs account with the issuer.
(6) 'Issuer' means the business organization or financial institution or its duly authorized agent which issues a financial transaction card.
(7) 'Personal identification code' means a numeric or alphabetical code, signature, photograph, fingerprint, or any other means of electronic or mechanical confirmation used by the cardholder of a financial transaction card to permit authorized electronic use of that financial transaction card.
(8) 'Presenting' means those actions taken by a cardholder or any person to introduce a financial transaction card into an automated banking device with or without utilization of a personal identification code or merely displaying or showing, with intent to defraud, a financial transaction card to the issuer or to any person or organization providing money, goods, services, or anything else of value or to any other entity.
(9) 'Receives' or 'receiving' means acquiring possession of or control of or accepting a financial transaction card as security for a loan.
(10) 'Revoked financial transaction card' means a financial transaction card which is no longer valid because permission to use it has been suspended or terminated by the issuer.

16-9-31. [ Index ]
(a) A person commits the offense of financial transaction card theft when:
(1) He takes, obtains, or withholds a financial transaction card from the person, possession, custody, or control ofer without the cardholderīcial transaction with intent to use it or to sell it or to transfer it to a person other than the issuer or the cardholder;
(2) He receives a financial transaction card that he knows to have been lost, mislaid, or delivered under a mistake as to the identity or address of the cardholder and he retains possession with intent to use it or sell it or to transfer it to a person other than the issuer or the cardholder; (b) Taking, obtaining, or withholding a financial transaction card without consent of the cardholder or issuer is included in conduct defined in Code Section 16-9-2 as the offense of theft by taking.
(c) Conviceft is punishable as provided in subsection (b) of Code Section 16-9-38.
ol two or more financial transaction cards issued in the names of persons other than members of his immediate family or without the consent of the cardholder, such possession shall be prima-facie evidence that the financial transaction cards have been obtained in violation of subsection (a) of this Code section.

16-9-32. [ Index ]
(a) A person commits the offense of financial transaction card forgery when:
(1) With intent to defraud a purported issuer; a person or organization providing money, goods, services, or anything else of value; or any other person, he falsely makes or falsely embosses a purported financial transaction card;
(2) With intent to defraud a purported issuer; a person or organization providing money, goods, services, or anything else of value; or any other person, he falsely encodes, duplicates, or alters existing encoded information on a financial transaction card or utters such a financial transaction card; or
(3) He, not being the cardholder or a person authorized by him, with intent to defraud the issuer; a person or organization providing money, goods, services, or anything else of value; or any other person, signs a financial transaction card.
(b) A person falsely makes a financial transaction card when he makes or draws in whole or in part a device or instrument which purports to be the financial transaction card of a named issuer but which is not such a financial transaction card because the issuer did not authorize the making or drawing or when he alters a financial transaction card which was validly issued.
(c) A person falsely embosses a financial transaction card when without authorization of the named issuer he completes a financial transaction card by adding any of the matter other than the signature of the cardholder, which an issuer requires to appear on the financial transaction card before it can be used by a cardholder.
(d) A person falsely encodes a financial transaction card when without authorization of the purported issuer he records, erases, or otherwise alters magnetically, electronically, electromagnetically, or by any other means whatsoever information on a financial transaction card which will permit acceptance of that card by any automated banking device.
(e) Conviction of the offense of financial transaction card forgery shall be punishable as provided in subsection (b) of Code Section 16-9-38.
(f) When a person other than the purported issuer possesses two or more financial transaction cards which are falsely made, falsely encoded, or falsely embossed, such possession shall be prima-facie evidence that said cards were obtained in violation of paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a) of this Code section.

16-9-33. [ Index ]
(a) A person commits the offense of financial transaction card fraud when with intent to defraud the issuer; a person or organization providing money, goods, services, or anything else of value; or any other person, he:
(1) Uses for the purpose of obtaining money, goods, services, or anything else of value:
(A) A financial transaction card obtained or retained or which was received with knowledge that it was obtained or retained in violation of Code Section 16-9-31 or 16-9-32;
(B) A financial transaction card which he or she knows is forged, altered, expired, revoked, or was obtained as a result of a fraudulent application in violation of subsection (d) of this Code section; or
(C) The financial transaction card account number of a financial transaction card which he or she knows has not in fact been issued or is forged, altered, expired, revoked, or was obtained as a result of a fraudulent application in violation of subsection (d) of this Code section;
(2) Obtains money, goods, services, or anything else of value by:
(A) Representing without the consent of the cardholder that he or she is the holder of a specified card;
(B) Presenting the financial transaction card without the authorization or permission of the cardholder;
(C) Falsely representing that he or she is the holder of a card and such card has not in fact been issued; or
(D) Giving, orally or in writing, a financial transaction card account number to the provider of the money, goods, services, or other thing of value for billing purposes without the authorization or permission of the cardholder for such use;
(3) Obtains control over a financial transaction card as security for debt;
(4) Deposits into his account or any account by means of an automated banking device a false, fictitious, forged, altered, or counterfeit check, draft, money order, or any other such document not his lawful or legal property; or
(5) Receives money, goods, services, or anything else of value as a result of a false, fictitious, forged, altered, or counterfeit check, draft, money order, or any other such document having been deposited into an account via an automated banking device, knowing at the time of receipt of the money, goods, services, or item of value that the document so deposited was false, fictitious, forged, altered, or counterfeit or that the above-deposited item was not his lawful or legal property.
(b) A person who is authorized by an issuer to furnish money, goods, services, or anything else of value upon presentation of a financial transaction card by the cardholder or any agent or employee of such person commits the offense of financial transaction card fraud when, with intent to defraud the issuer or the cardholder, he:
(1) Furnishes money, goods, services, or anything else of value upon presentation of a financial transaction card obtained or retained in violation of Code Section 16-9-31 or a financial transaction card which he knows is forged, expired, or revoked;
(2) Alters a charge ticket or purchase ticket to reflect a larger amount than that approved by the cardholder; or
(3) Fails to furnish money, goods, services, or anything else of value which he represents in writing to the issuer that he has furnished.
(c) Conviction of the offense of financial transaction card fraud as provided in subsection (a) or (b) of this Code section is punishable as provided in subsection (a) of Code Section 16-9-38 if the value of all money, goods, services, and other things of value furnished in violation of this Code section or if the difference between the value actually furnished and the value represented to the issuer to have been furnished in violation of this Code section does not exceed $100.00 in any six-month period. Conviction of the offense of financial transaction card fraud as provided in subsection (a) or (b) of this Code section is punishable as provided in subsection (b) of Code Section 16-9-38 if such value exceeds $100.00 in any six-month period.
(d) A person commits the offense of financial transaction card fraud when, upon application for a financial transaction card to an issuer, he knowingly makes or causes to be made a false statement or report relative to his name, occupation, employer, financial condition, assets, or liabilities or willfully and substantially overvalues any assets or willfully omits or substantially undervalues any indebtedness for the purpose of influencing the issuer to issue a financial transaction card. Financial transaction card fraud as provided in this subsection is punishable as provided in subsection (b) of Code Section 16-9-38.
(e) A cardholder commits the offense of financial transaction card fraud when he willfully, knowingly, and with an intent to defraud the issuer; a person or organization providing money, goods, services, or anything else of value; or any other person submits verbally or in writing to the issuer or any other person any false notice or report of the theft, loss, disappearance, or nonreceipt of his financial transaction card and personal identification code. Conviction of the offense of financial transaction card fraud as provided in this subsection is punishable as provided in subsection (b) of Code Section 16-9-38.
(f) A person authorized by an acquirer to furnish money, goods, services, or anything else of value upon presentation of a financial transaction card or a financial transaction card account number by a cardholder or any agent or employee of such person, who, with intent to defraud the issuer, acquirer, or cardholder remits to an issuer or acquirer, for payment, a financial transaction card record of a sale, which sale was not made by such person, agent, or employee, commits the offense of financial transaction card fraud. Conviction of the offense of financial transaction card fraud as provided in this subsection shall be punishable as provided in subsection (b) of Code Section 16-9-38.
(g) In any prosecution for violation of this Code section, the state is not required to establish that all of the acts constituting the crime occurred in this state or within one city, county, or local jurisdiction, and it is no defense that some of the acts constituting the crime did not occur in this state or within one city, county, or local jurisdiction. Except as otherwise provided by Code Section 17-2-2, for purposes of venue the crime defined by this Code section shall be considered as having been committed in the county where the commission of the crime commenced.
(h) For purposes of this Code section, revocation shall be construed to include either notice given in person or notice given in writing to the person to whom the financial transaction card and personal identification code was issued. Notice of revocation shall be immediate when notice is given in person. The sending of a notice in writing by registered or certified mail or statutory overnight delivery in the United States mail, duly stamped and addressed to such person at his last address known to the issuer, shall be prima-facie evidence that such notice was duly received after seven days from the date of deposit in the mail. If the address is located outside the United States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Canal Zone, and Canada, notice shall be presumed to have been received ten days after mailing by registered or certified mail or statutory overnight delivery.

16-9-34. [ Index ]
(a) A person commits the offense of criminal possession of financial transaction card forgery devices when:
(1) He is a person other than the cardholder and possesses two or more incomplete financial transaction cards with intent to complete them without the consent of the issuer; or
(2) With knowledge of its character, he possesses machinery, plates, or any other contrivance designed to reproduce instruments purporting to be financial transaction cards of an issuer who has not consented to the preparation of such financial transaction cards.
(b) A financial transaction card is incomplete if part of the matter, other than the signature of the cardholder, which an issuer requires to appear on the financial transaction card before it can be used by a cardholder has not yet been stamped, embossed, imprinted, encoded, or written upon.
(c) Conviction of the offense of criminal possession of financial transaction card forgery devices is punishable as provided in subsection (b) of Code Section 16-9-38.

16-9-35. [ Index ]
A person commits the offense of criminally receiving goods and services fraudulently obtained when he receives money, goods, services, or anything else of value obtained in violation of subsection (a) of Code Section 16-9-33 with the knowledge or belief that the same were obtained in violation of subsection (a) of Code Section 16-9-33. Conviction of the offense of criminal receipt of goods and services fraudulently obtained is punishable as provided in subsection (a) of Code Section 16-9-38 if the value of all money, goods, services, and anything else of value obtained in violation of this Code section does not exceed $100.00 in any six-month period. Conviction of the offense of criminal receipt of goods and services fraudulently obtained is punishable as provided in subsection (b) of Code Section 16-9-38 if such value exceeds $100.00 in any six-month period.

16-9-36. [ Index ]
A person who obtains at a discount price a ticket issued by an airline, railroad, steamship, or other transportation company from other than an authorized agent of such company, which ticket was acquired in violation of subsection (a) of Code Section 16-9-33 without reasonable inquiry to ascertain that the person from whom it was obtained had a legal right to possess it shall be rebuttably presumed to know that such ticket was acquired under circumstances constituting a violation of subsection (a) of Code Section 16-9-33 if the ticket shows on its face that it was issued through the use of a financial transaction card or that it is otherwise nonrefundable.

16-9-36.1. [ Index ]
Any person who, without the acquirerīs express authorization, employs or solicits an authorized merchant or any agent or employee of such merchant to remit to an issuer or acquirer, for payment, a financial transaction card record of a sale, which sale was not made by such merchant, agent, or employee, commits the offense of criminal factoring of financial transaction card records. Conviction of criminal factoring of financial transaction card records shall be punishable as provided in subsection (b) of Code Section 16-9-38.

16-9-37. [ Index ]
Any person who has been issued or entrusted with a financial transaction card for specifically authorized purposes, provided such authorization is in writing stating a maximum amount charges that can be made with the financial transaction card, and who uses the financial transaction card in a manner and for purposes not authorized in order to obtain or purchase money, goods, services, or anything else of value shall be punished as provided in subsection (a) of Code Section 16-9-38.

16-9-38. [ Index ]
(a) A person who is subject to the punishment and penalties of this subsection shall be fined not more than $1,000.00 or imprisoned not less than one year nor more than two years, or both.
(b) A person subject to punishment under this subsection shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by a fine of not more than $5,000.00 or imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than three years, or both.

16-9-39. [ Index ]
(a) As used in this Code section, 'publish' means the communication or dissemination of information to any one or more persons either orally, in person, by telephone, radio or television, or in a writing of any kind, including without limitation a letter, memorandum, circular, handbill, newspaper or magazine article, or book.
(b) A person who publishes the number or code of any existing, canceled, revoked, or nonexistent telephone number, credit number, or other credit device, or method of numbering or coding which is employed in the issuance of telephone numbers, credit numbers, or other credit devices with knowledge or reason to believe that it may be used to avoid the payment of any lawful telephone or telegraph toll charge under circumstances evidencing an intent to have such telephone number, credit number, credit device, or method of numbering or coding so used shall be punished as provided in subsection (a) of Code Section 16-9-38.
(c) An offense under this Code section may be deemed to have been committed at either the place at which the publication was initiated, at which publication was received, or at which the information so published was utilized to avoid or attempt to avoid payment of any lawful telephone or telegraph charge.

16-9-50. [ Index ]
(a) A person commits the offense of using a deceptive business practice when in the regular course of business he knowingly:
(1) Uses or possesses for use a false weight or measure or any other device for falsely determining or recording any quality or quantity;
(2) Sells, offers, or exposes for sale or delivers less than the represented quality or quantity of any commodity; or
(3) Takes or attempts to take more than the represented quantity of any commodity when as buyer he furnishes the weight or measure.
(b) Any person who commits the offense of using a deceptive business practice shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

16-9-51. [ Index ]
(a) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this Code section, a person who destroys, removes, conceals, encumbers, transfers, or otherwise deals with property subject to a security interest with intent to hinder enforcement of that interest shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(b) A person who destroys, removes, conceals, encumbers, transfers, or otherwise deals with property subject to a security interest with intent to hinder enforcement of that security interest and in so doing does damage to such property in an amount greater than $500.00 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.
(c) In a prosecution under this Code section the crime shall be considered as having been committed in any county where any act in furtherance of the criminal scheme was done or caused to be done.

16-9-52. [ Index ]
(a) A person commits the offense of improper solicitation of money when he solicits payment of money by another by means of a statement or invoice or any writing that could reasonably be interpreted as a statement or invoice for goods not yet ordered or for services not yet performed and not yet ordered, unless there appears on the face of the statement or invoice or writing in 30 point boldface type the following warning:
'This is a solicitation for the order of goods or services and you are under no obligation to make payment unless you accept the offer contained herein.'
(b) Any person who violates subsection (a) of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(c) In addition to other remedies, any person damaged by noncompliance with subsection (a) of this Code section is entitled to damages in the amount equal to three times the sum solicited.

16-9-53. [ Index ]
(a) A person commits the offense of damaging, destroying, or secreting property to defraud another person when he knowingly and with intent to defraud another person damages, destroys, or secretes any property of whatever class or character, whether the property of himself or of another person.
(b) A person convicted of the offense of damaging, destroying, or secreting property to defraud another person shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years.

16-9-54. [ Index ]
(a) In making a telephone solicitation for the purpose of the sale of goods or services or for the purpose of seeking charitable contributions, it shall be unlawful for any person to make false statements regarding the purpose of the solicitation, the person or persons represented by the solicitor, or the person or persons benefiting from the solicitation.
(b) Any person who violates subsection (a) of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

16-9-55. [ Index ]
(a) Any person who obtains or attempts to obtain or who establishes or attempts to establish eligibility for, and any person who knowingly or intentionally aids or abets such person in obtaining or attempting to obtain or in establishing or attempting to establish eligibility for, any public housing or a reduction in public housing rental charges or any rent subsidy or payment from a tenant in connection with public housing to which such person would not otherwise be entitled, by means of a false statement, failure to disclose information, impersonation, or other fraudulent scheme or device shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(b) As used in this Code section, 'public housing' means housing which is constructed, operated, maintained, financed, or subsidized by the state, a county, a municipal corporation, the Georgia Housing and Finance Authority, a housing authority, or by any other political subdivision or public corporation of the state or its subdivisions.
(c) Notice of subsection (a) of this Code section shall be printed on the application form for public housing and shall be displayed in the office where such application is made.

16-9-56. [ Index ]
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to give a false or fictitious name, address, or telephone number as that personīs own or to give the name, address, or telephone number of any other person without that other personīs knowledge and approval for the purpose of obtaining or attempting to obtain a refund for merchandise returned to a business establishment or a refund on a ticket or other document which is evidence of a service purchased from a business establishment, which service is yet to be performed.
(b) Any person who violates this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

16-9-57. [ Index ]
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to solicit or accept a fee, consideration, or donation or to offer for sale or to sell advertising as a representative of a peace officer organization or fire service organization or under the guise of representing a peace officer organization or fire service organization unless such person is employed by, is acting pursuant to the authority of, or is a member of such organization.
(b) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Fire service' shall include any person duly elected, appointed, or employed to engage in fire fighting.
(2) 'Peace officer' shall include any person duly elected, appointed, or employed to engage in public law enforcement work.
(c) Any person, firm, association, or corporation violating subsection (a) of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $500.00 or by imprisonment for not more than 30 days, or both.
(d) Any person, firm, association, or corporation violating subsection (a) of this Code section through the use of some form of communication across the boundaries of the state, whether such communication is by mail, by the use of any electronic device including but not limited to the use of a telephone or telegraph, or by any other means, shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than three years or by a fine of not less than $1,000.00 nor more than $5,000.00, or both.

16-9-58. [ Index ]
Any person, either on his or her own account or for others, who with fraudulent intent shall buy cotton, corn, rice, crude turpentine, spirits of turpentine, rosin, pitch, tar, timber, pulpwood, Christmas trees, pine needles, horticultural crops, poultry and poultry products, cattle, hogs, sheep, goats, ratites, horses, mules, pecans, peaches, apples, watermelons, cantaloupes, or other products or chattels and fail or refuse to pay therefor within 20 days following receipt of such products or chattels or by such other payment due date explicitly stated in a written contract agreed to by the buyer and seller, whichever is later, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor; except that if the value of the products or chattels exceeded $500.00 such person shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned for not less than one year nor more than five years.

16-9-59. [ Index ]
(a) As used in this Code section, the term:
(1) 'Buyer' means any individual who is solicited to purchase or who purchases the services of a credit repair services organization.
(2)(A) 'Credit repair services organization' means any person who, with respect to the extension of credit to a buyer by others, sells, provides, or performs, or represents that he can or will sell, provide, or perform, in return for the payment of money or other valuable consideration any of the following services:
(i) Improving a buyerīs credit record, history, or rating;
(ii) Obtaining an extension of credit for a buyer;
(iii) Providing advice or assistance to a buyer with regard to either division (i) or (ii) of this subparagraph.
(B) 'Credit repair services organization' does not include:
(i) Any person authorized to make loans or extensions of credit under the laws of this state or the United States who is subject to regulation and supervision by this state or the United States;
(ii) Any bank or savings and loan institution whose deposits or accounts are eligible for insurance by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the Savings Association Insurance Fund of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation;
(iii) Any nonprofit organization exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986;
(iv) Any person licensed as a real estate broker by this state if the person is acting within the course and scope of that license;
(v) Any person licensed to practice law in this state if the person renders services within the course and scope of his or her practice as an attorney;
(vi) Any broker-dealer registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission if the broker-dealer is acting within the course and scope of those regulatory agencies; or
(vii) Any consumer reporting agency as defined in the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681-1681t).
(3) 'Extension of credit' means the right to defer payment of debt or to incur debt and defer its payment, offered or granted primarily for personal, family, or household purposes.
(b) A person commits the offense of operating a credit repair services organization when he or she owns, operates, or is affiliated with a credit repair services organization.
(c) Any person who commits the offense of operating a credit repair services organization shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

16-9-60. [ Index ]
(a) For purposes of this Code section, the term 'foreclosure fraud' shall include any of the following: knowingly or willfully representing that moneys provided to or on behalf of a debtor, as defined in Code Section 44-14-162.1 in connection with property used as a dwelling place by said debtor, are a loan if in fact they are used to purchase said property or such debtorīs interest therein; or knowingly or willfully making fraudulent representation to a debtor about assisting the debtor in connection with said property.
(b) Any person who by foreclosure fraud purchases or attempts to purchase residential property by means of such fraudulent scheme shall be guilty of a felony.
(c) A person who violates subsection (b) of this Code section shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than three years or by a fine of not less than $1,000.00 nor more than $5,000.00, or both.

16-9-61. [ Index ]
(a) A person commits the crime of misrepresenting the origin or ownership of timber or agricultural commodities when, in the course of a sale, attempted sale, delivery, or other completed or attempted transaction regarding timber or agricultural commodities, he or she knowingly, willfully, and with criminal intent to defraud makes a false statement or knowingly, willfully, and with criminal intent to defraud causes a false statement to be made with regard to any specific ownership of the timber or agricultural commodities or with regard to the location or ownership of the land where the timber was cut or the agricultural commodities were harvested.
(b) Misrepresenting the origin of timber or agricultural commodities shall be punished, upon conviction, as for a misdemeanor; except that if the property which was the subject of the misrepresentation exceeded $500.00 in value, it shall be a felony offense punishable upon conviction by a sentence of imprisonment of not less than one year and not exceeding five years.

16-9-70. [ Index ]
(a) A person commits the offense of criminal use of an article with an altered identification mark when he buys, sells, receives, disposes of, conceals, or has in his possession a radio, piano, phonograph, sewing machine, washing machine, typewriter, adding machine, comptometer, bicycle, firearm, safe, vacuum cleaner, dictaphone, watch, watch movement, watch case, or any other mechanical or electrical device, appliance, contrivance, material, or piece of apparatus or equipment, other than a motor vehicle as defined in Code Section 40-1-1 from which he knows the manufacturerīs name plate, serial number, or any other distinguishing number or identification mark has been removed for the purpose of concealing or destroying the identity of such article.
(b) A person convicted of the offense of criminal use of an article with an altered identification mark shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years.
(c) This Code section does not apply to those cases or instances where any of the changes or alterations enumerated in subsection (a) of this Code section have been customarily made or done as an established practice in the ordinary and regular conduct of business by the original manufacturer or by his duly appointed direct representative or under specific authorization from the original manufacturer.

16-9-71. [ Index ]
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person without the express permission of the owner or lessee of an animal to remove a collar, tag, tattoo, or any identification mark artificially attached to or imprinted on an animal for the purposes of identification which causes or is likely to cause the loss of the animal to the owner thereof.
(b) Any person who violates subsection (a) of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

16-9-90. [ Index ]
This article shall be known and may be cited as the 'Georgia Computer Systems Protection Act.'

16-9-91. [ Index ]
The General Assembly finds that:
(1) Computer related crime is a growing problem in the government and in the private sector;
(2) Such crime occurs at great cost to the public, since losses for each incident of computer crime tend to be far greater than the losses associated with each incident of other white collar crime;
(3) The opportunities for computer related crimes in state programs, and in other entities which operate within the state, through the introduction of fraudulent records into a computer system, unauthorized use of computer facilities, alteration or destruction of computerized information files, and stealing of financial instruments, data, or other assets are great;
(4) Computer related crime operations have a direct effect on state commerce;
(5) Liability for computer crimes should be imposed on all persons, as that term is defined in this title; and
(6) The prosecution of persons engaged in computer related crime is difficult under previously existing Georgia criminal statutes.

16-9-92. [ Index ]
As used in this article, the term:
(1) 'Computer' means an electronic, magnetic, optical, electrochemical, or other high-speed data processing device or system performing computer operations with or on data and includes any data storage facility or communications facility directly related to or operating in conjunction with such device; but such term does not include an automated typewriter or typesetter, portable hand-held calculator, household appliance, or other similar device that is not used to communicate with or to manipulate any other computer.
(2) 'Computer network' means a set of related, remotely connected computers and any communications facilities with the function and purpose of transmitting data among them through the communications facilities.
(3) 'Computer operation' means computing, classifying, transmitting, receiving, retrieving, originating, switching, storing, displaying, manifesting, measuring, detecting, recording, reproducing, handling, or utilizing any form of data for business, scientific, control, or other purposes.
(4) 'Computer program' means one or more statements or instructions composed and structured in a form acceptable to a computer that, when executed by a computer in actual or modified form, cause the computer to perform one or more computer operations. The term 'computer program' shall include all associated procedures and documentation, whether or not such procedures and documentation are in human readable form.
(5) 'Data' includes any representation of information, intelligence, or data in any fixed medium, including documentation, computer printouts, magnetic storage media, punched cards, storage in a computer, or transmission by a computer network.
(6) 'Financial instruments' includes any check, draft, money order, note, certificate of deposit, letter of credit, bill of exchange, credit or debit card, transaction-authorizing mechanism, or marketable security, or any computer representation thereof.
(7) 'Property' includes computers, computer networks, computer programs, data, financial instruments, and services.
(8) 'Services' includes computer time or services or data processing services.
(9) 'Use' includes causing or attempting to cause:
(A) A computer or computer network to perform or to stop performing computer operations;
(B) The obstruction, interruption, malfunction, or denial of the use of a computer, computer network, computer program, or data; or
(C) A person to put false information into a computer.
(10) 'Victim expenditure' means any expenditure reasonably and necessarily incurred by the owner to verify that a computer, computer network, computer program, or data was or was not altered, deleted, damaged, or destroyed by unauthorized use.
(11) 'Without authority' includes the use of a computer or computer network in a manner that exceeds any right or permission granted by the owner of the computer or computer network.

16-9-93. [ Index ]
(a) Computer theft. Any person who uses a computer or computer network with knowledge that such use is without authority and with the intention of:
(1) Taking or appropriating any property of another, whether or not with the intention of depriving the owner of possession;
(2) Obtaining property by any deceitful means or artful practice; or
(3) Converting property to such person?s use in violation of an agreement or other known legal obligation to make a specified application or disposition of such property
shall be guilty of the crime of computer theft.
(b) Computer Trespass. Any person who uses a computer or computer network with knowledge that such use is without authority and with the intention of:
(1) Deleting or in any way removing, either temporarily or permanently, any computer program or data from a computer or computer network;
(2) Obstructing, interrupting, or in any way interfering with the use of a computer program or data; or
(3) Altering, damaging, or in any way causing the malfunction of a computer, computer network, or computer program, regardless of how long the alteration, damage, or malfunction persists
shall be guilty of the crime of computer trespass.
(c) Computer Invasion of Privacy. Any person who uses a computer or computer network with the intention of examining any employment, medical, salary, credit, or any other financial or personal data relating to any other person with knowledge that such examination is without authority shall be guilty of the crime of computer invasion of privacy.
(d) Computer Forgery. Any person who creates, alters, or deletes any data contained in any computer or computer network, who, if such person had created, altered, or deleted a tangible document or instrument would have committed forgery under Article 1 of this chapter, shall be guilty of the crime of computer forgery. The absence of a tangible writing directly created or altered by the offender shall not be a defense to the crime of computer forgery if a creation, alteration, or deletion of data was involved in lieu of a tangible document or instrument.
(e) Computer Password Disclosure. Any person who discloses a number, code, password, or other means of access to a computer or computer network knowing that such disclosure is without authority and which results in damages (including the fair market value of any services used and victim expenditure) to the owner of the computer or computer network in excess of $500.00 shall be guilty of the crime of computer password disclosure.
(f) Article not Exclusive. The provisions of this article shall not be construed to preclude the applicability of any other law which presently applies or may in the future apply to any transaction or course of conduct which violates this article.
(g) Civil Relief; Damages.
(1) Any person whose property or person is injured by reason of a violation of any provision of this article may sue therefor and recover for any damages sustained and the costs of suit. Without limiting the generality of the term, 'damages' shall include loss of profits and victim expenditure.
(2) At the request of any party to an action brought pursuant to this Code section, the court shall by reasonable means conduct all legal proceedings in such a way as to protect the secrecy and security of any computer, computer network, data, or computer program involved in order to prevent possible recurrence of the same or a similar act by another person and to protect any trade secrets of any party.
(3) The provisions of this article shall not be construed to limit any person?s right to pursue any additional civil remedy otherwise allowed by law.
(4) A civil action under this Code section must be brought within four years after the violation is discovered or by exercise of reasonable diligence should have been discovered. For purposes of this article, a continuing violation of any one subsection of this Code section by any person constitutes a single violation by such person.
(h) Criminal Penalties.
(1) Any person convicted of the crime of computer theft, computer trespass, computer invasion of privacy, or computer forgery shall be fined not more than $50,000.00 or imprisoned not more than 15 years, or both.
(2) Any person convicted of computer password disclosure shall be fined not more than $5,000.00 or incarcerated for a period not to exceed one year, or both.

16-9-93.1. [ Index ]
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person, any organization, or any representative of any organization knowingly to transmit any data through a computer network or over the transmission facilities or through the network facilities of a local telephone network for the purpose of setting up, maintaining, operating, or exchanging data with an electronic mailbox, home page, or any other electronic information storage bank or point of access to electronic information if such data uses any individual name, trade name, registered trademark, logo, legal or official seal, or copyrighted symbol to falsely identify the person, organization, or representative transmitting such data or which would falsely state or imply that such person, organization, or representative has permission or is legally authorized to use such trade name, registered trademark, logo, legal or official seal, or copyrighted symbol for such purpose when such permission or authorization has not been obtained; provided, however, that no telecommunications company or Internet access provider shall violate this Code section solely as a result of carrying or transmitting such data for its customers.
(b) Any person violating subsection (a) of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
(c) Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to limit an aggrieved partyīs right to pursue a civil action for equitable or monetary relief, or both, for actions which violate this Code section.

16-9-94. [ Index ]
For the purpose of venue under this article, any violation of this article shall be considered to have been committed:
(1) In the county of the principal place of business in this state of the owner of a computer, computer network, or any part thereof;
(2) In any county in which any person alleged to have violated any provision of this article had control or possession of any proceeds of the violation or of any books, records, documents, or property which were used in furtherance of the violation;
(3) In any county in which any act was performed in furtherance of any transaction which violated this article; and
(4) In any county from which, to which, or through which any use of a computer or computer network was made, whether by wires, electromagnetic waves, microwaves, or any other means of communication.

16-9-110. [ Index ]
(a) It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation knowingly to sell, transfer, or otherwise convey any motor vehicle which was not manufactured to comply with federal emission and safety standards applicable to new motor vehicles as required by 42 U.S.C. Section 7401 through Section 7642, known as the federal Clean Air Act, as amended, and as required by 15 U.S.C. Section 1381 through Section 1431, known as the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966, as amended, unless and until the United States Customs Service or the United States Department of Transportation and the United States Environmental Protection Agency have certified that the motor vehicle complies with such applicable federal standards.
(b) Any person convicted of violating subsection (a) of this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.

16-9-111. [ Index ]
Any person who knowingly installs or reinstalls any object in lieu of and other than an air bag which was designed in accordance with federal safety regulations for the make, model, and year of the vehicle as part of a vehicle inflatable restraint system shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.

16-9-120. [ Index ]
As used in this article, the term:
(1) 'Administrator' means the administrator appointed under Part 2 of Article 15 of Chapter 1 of Title 10, the 'Fair Business Practices Act of 1975.'
(2) 'Business victim' means any individual or entity that provided money, credit, goods, services, or anything of value to someone other than the intended recipient where the intended recipient has not given permission for the actual recipient to receive it and the individual or entity that provided money, credit, goods, services, or anything of value has suffered financial loss as a direct result of the commission or attempted commission of a violation of this article.
(3) 'Consumer victim' means any individual whose personal identifying information has been obtained, compromised, used, or recorded in any manner without the permission of that individual.
(4) 'Identifying information' shall include, but not be limited to:
(A) Current or former names;
(B) Social security numbers;
(C) Driverīs license numbers;
(D) Checking account numbers;
(E) Savings account numbers;
(F) Credit and other financial transaction card numbers;
(G) Debit card numbers;
(H) Personal identification numbers;
(I) Electronic identification numbers;
(J) Digital or electronic signatures;
(K) Medical identification numbers;
(L) Birth dates;
(M) Motherīs maiden name;
(N) Selected personal identification numbers;
(O) Tax identification numbers;
(P) State identification card numbers issued by state departments; or
(Q) Any other numbers or information which can be used to access a personīs or entityīs resources.
(5) 'Resources' includes, but is not limited to:
(A) A personīs or entityīs credit, credit history, credit profile, and credit rating;
(B) United States currency, securities, real property, and personal property of any kind;
(C) Credit, charge, and debit accounts;
(D) Loans and lines of credit;
(E) Documents of title and other forms of commercial paper recognized under Title 11;
(F) Any account, including a safety deposit box, with a financial institution as defined by Code Section 7-1-4, including a national bank, federal savings and loan association, or federal credit union or a securities dealer licensed by the Secretary of State or the federal Securities and Exchange Commission; and
(G) A personīs personal history, including but not limited to records of such personīs driving records; criminal, medical, or insurance history; education; or employment.

16-9-121. [ Index ]
A person commits the offense of identity fraud when without the authorization or permission of a person with the intent unlawfully to appropriate resources of or cause physical harm to that person, or of any other person, to his or her own use or to the use of a third party he or she:
(1) Obtains or records identifying information of a person which would assist in accessing the resources of that person or any other person; or
(2) Accesses or attempts to access the resources of a person through the use of identifying information.

16-9-122. [ Index ]
It shall be unlawful for any person to attempt or conspire to commit any offense prohibited by this article. Any person convicted of a violation of this Code section shall be punished by imprisonment or community service, by a fine, or by both such punishments not to exceed the maximum punishment prescribed for the offense the commission of which was the object of the attempt or conspiracy.

16-9-123. [ Index ]
The administrator appointed under Code Section 10-1-395 shall have the authority to investigate any complaints of consumer victims regarding identity fraud. In conducting such investigations the administrator shall have all investigative powers which are available to the administrator under Part 2 of Article 15 of Chapter 1 of Title 10, the 'Fair Business Practices Act of 1975.' If, after such investigation, the administrator determines that a person has been a consumer victim of identity fraud in this state, the administrator shall, at the request of the consumer victim, provide the consumer victim with certification of the findings of such investigation. Copies of any and all complaints received by any law enforcement agency of this state regarding potential violations of this article shall be transmitted to the Governorīs Office of Consumer Affairs. The Governorīs Office of Consumer Affairs shall maintain a repository for all complaints in the State of Georgia regarding identity fraud. Information contained in such repository shall not be subject to public disclosure. The information in the repository may be transmitted to any other appropriate investigatory agency or entity. Consumer victims of identity fraud may file complaints directly with the Governorīs Office of Consumer Affairs. Employees of the Governorīs Office of Consumer Affairs may communicate with consumer victims. Any and all transmissions authorized under this Code section may be transmitted electronically, provided that such transmissions are made through a secure channel for the transmission of such electronic communications or information, the sufficiency of which is acceptable to the Governorīs Office of Consumer Affairs. Nothing in this Code section shall be construed to preclude any otherwise authorized law enforcement or prosecutorial agencies from conducting investigations and prosecuting offenses of identity fraud.

16-9-124. [ Index ]
The Attorney General and prosecuting attorneys shall have the authority to conduct the criminal prosecution of all cases of identity fraud.

16-9-125. [ Index ]
The General Assembly finds that identity fraud involves the use of identifying information which is uniquely personal to the consumer or business victim of that identity fraud and which information is considered to be in the lawful possession of the consumer or business victim wherever the consumer or business victim currently resides or is found. Accordingly, the fraudulent use of that information involves the fraudulent use of information that is, for the purposes of this article, found within the county where the consumer or business victim of the identity fraud resides or is found. Accordingly, in a proceeding under this article, the crime will be considered to have been committed in any county where the person whose means of identification or financial information was appropriated resides or is found, or in any county in which any other part of the offense took place, regardless of whether the defendant was ever actually in such county.

16-9-126. [ Index ]
(a) A violation of this article, other than a violation of Code Section 16-9-122, shall be punishable by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten years or a fine not to exceed $100,000.00, or both. Any person who commits such a violation for the second or any subsequent offense shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than three nor more than 15 years, a fine not to exceed $250,000.00, or both.
(b) Any person found guilty of a violation of this article may be ordered by the court to make restitution to any consumer victim or any business victim of such fraud.
(c) Each violation of this article shall constitute a separate offense.
(d) Upon a conviction of a violation of this article, the court may issue any order necessary to correct a public record that contains false information resulting from the actions which resulted in the conviction.

16-9-127. [ Index ]
The administrator shall have authority to initiate any proceedings and to exercise any power or authority in the same manner as if he or she were acting under Part 2 of Article 15 of Chapter 1 of Title 10, as regards violations or potential violations of this article.

16-9-128. [ Index ]
(a) The prohibitions set forth in Code Sections 16-9-121 and 16-9-122 shall not apply to nor shall any cause of action arise under Code Sections 16-9-129 and 16-9-131 for:
(1) The lawful obtaining of credit information in the course of a bona fide consumer or commercial transaction;
(2) The lawful, good faith exercise of a security interest or a right to offset by a creditor or a financial institution;
(3) The lawful, good faith compliance by any party when required by any warrant, levy, garnishment, attachment, court order, or other judicial or administrative order, decree, or directive; or
(4) The good faith use of identifying information with the permission of the affected individual.
(b) The exemptions provided in subsection (a) of this Code section will not apply to a person intending to further a scheme to violate Code Section 16-9-121 or 16-9-122.
(c) It is not necessary for the state to negate any exemption or exception in this article in any complaint, accusation, indictment, or other pleading or in any trial, hearing, or other proceeding under this article involving a business victim. In such cases the burden of proof of any exemption or exception is upon the business victim claiming it.

16-9-129. [ Index ]
Any business victim who is injured by reason of any violation of this article shall have a cause of action for the actual damages sustained and, where appropriate, punitive damages. Such business victim may also recover attorneyīs fees in the trial and appellate courts and the costs of investigation and litigation reasonably incurred.

16-9-130. [ Index ]
(a) Any consumer victim who suffers injury or damages as a result of a violation of this article may bring an action individually or as a representative of a class against the person or persons engaged in such violations under the rules of civil procedure to seek equitable injunctive relief and to recover general and punitive damages sustained as a consequence thereof in any court having jurisdiction over the defendant; provided, however, punitive damages shall be awarded only in cases of intentional violation. A claim under this article may also be asserted as a defense, setoff, cross-claim, or counterclaim or third-party claim against such person.
(b) A court shall award three times actual damages for an intentional violation.
(c) If the court finds in any action that there has been a violation of this article, the consumer victim injured by such violation shall, in addition to other relief provided for in this Code section and irrespective of the amount in controversy, be awarded reasonable attorneyīs fees and expenses of litigation incurred in connection with said action.
(d) It shall not be a defense in any action under this article that others were, are, or will be engaged in like practices.
(e) In any action brought under this article the administrator shall be served by certified or registered mail or statutory overnight delivery with a copy of the initial complaint and any amended complaint within 20 days of the filing of such complaint. The administrator shall be entitled to be heard in any such action, and the court where such action is filed may enter an order requiring any of the parties to serve a copy of any other pleadings in an action upon the administrator.

16-9-131. [ Index ]
Whenever an investigation has been conducted by the Governorīs Office of Consumer Affairs under this article and such investigation reveals conduct which constitutes a criminal offense, the administrator shall forward the results of such investigation to the Attorney General or other prosecuting attorney of this state who shall commence any criminal prosecution that he or she deems appropriate.

16-9-132. [ Index ]
This article is cumulative with other laws and is not exclusive. The rights or remedies provided for in this article shall be in addition to any other procedures, rights, remedies, or duties provided for in any other law or in decisions of the courts of this state dealing with the same subject matter.