{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/18.2-191.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/18.2-191.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/18.2-191.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/18.2-191.html"}],"law_id":86178,"edition_id":1,"section_id":86178,"structure_id":16022,"section_number":"18.2-191","catch_line":"Definitions","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-125.2; 1968, c. 480; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1977, c. 103; 1980, c. 99; 1985, c. 266; 1991, c. 546; 2017, c. 41.","full_text":"The following words and phrases as used in this article, unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context, shall have the following meanings:\n\t\t“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 credit card or credit card number for money, goods, services or anything else of value.\n\t\t“Cardholder” means the person or organization named on the face of a credit card to whom or for whose benefit the credit card is issued by an issuer.\n\t\t“Credit card” means any instrument or device, whether known as a credit card, credit plate, payment device number, or by any other name, issued with or without fee by an issuer for the use of the cardholder in obtaining money, goods, services or anything else of value on credit. For the purpose of this article, “credit card” shall also include a similar device, whether known as a debit card, or any other name, issued with or without fee by an issuer for the use of the cardholder in obtaining money, goods, services or anything else of value by charging the account of the cardholder with a bank or any other person even though no credit is thereby extended.\n\t\t“Expired credit card” means a credit card which is no longer valid because the term shown on it has elapsed.\n\t\t“Issuer” means the business organization or financial institution or its duly authorized agent which issues a credit card.\n\t\t“Payment device number” means any code, account number or other means of account access, other than a check, draft or similar paper instrument, that can be used to obtain money, goods, services or anything else of value, or to initiate a transfer of funds. “Payment device number” does not include an encoded or truncated credit card number or payment device number.\n\t\t“Receives” or “receiving” means acquiring possession or control of the credit card number or payment device number or accepting the same as security for a loan.\n\t\t“Revoked credit card” means a credit card which is no longer valid because permission to use it has been suspended or terminated by the issuer.\n\t\t“Sales draft” means a paper or electronic form evidencing a purchase of goods, services or anything else of value from a merchant through the use of a credit card.\n\t\t“Cash advance\/withdrawal draft” means a paper form evidencing a cash advance or withdrawal from a bank or other financial institution through the use of a credit card.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":308704,"text":"The following words and phrases as used in this article, unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context, shall have the following meanings:\n\t\t“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 credit card or credit card number for money, goods, services or anything else of value.\n\t\t“Cardholder” means the person or organization named on the face of a credit card to whom or for whose benefit the credit card is issued by an issuer.\n\t\t“Credit card” means any instrument or device, whether known as a credit card, credit plate, payment device number, or by any other name, issued with or without fee by an issuer for the use of the cardholder in obtaining money, goods, services or anything else of value on credit. For the purpose of this article, “credit card” shall also include a similar device, whether known as a debit card, or any other name, issued with or without fee by an issuer for the use of the cardholder in obtaining money, goods, services or anything else of value by charging the account of the cardholder with a bank or any other person even though no credit is thereby extended.\n\t\t“Expired credit card” means a credit card which is no longer valid because the term shown on it has elapsed.\n\t\t“Issuer” means the business organization or financial institution or its duly authorized agent which issues a credit card.\n\t\t“Payment device number” means any code, account number or other means of account access, other than a check, draft or similar paper instrument, that can be used to obtain money, goods, services or anything else of value, or to initiate a transfer of funds. “Payment device number” does not include an encoded or truncated credit card number or payment device number.\n\t\t“Receives” or “receiving” means acquiring possession or control of the credit card number or payment device number or accepting the same as security for a loan.\n\t\t“Revoked credit card” means a credit card which is no longer valid because permission to use it has been suspended or terminated by the issuer.\n\t\t“Sales draft” means a paper or electronic form evidencing a purchase of goods, services or anything else of value from a merchant through the use of a credit card.\n\t\t“Cash advance\/withdrawal draft” means a paper form evidencing a cash advance or withdrawal from a bank or other financial institution through the use of a credit card.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":16022,"edition_id":1,"name":"Offenses Relating to Credit Cards","identifier":"6","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13358,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 04:04:08","date_modified":"2026-06-26 04:04:08","permalink":{"id":166189,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":16022,"identifier":"6","token":"18.2\/6\/6","url":"\/18.2\/6\/6\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13358,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes Involving Fraud","identifier":"6","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12972,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:42","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:42","permalink":{"id":165933,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13358,"identifier":"6","token":"18.2\/6","url":"\/18.2\/6\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12972,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","permalink":{"id":164139,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12972,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":86178,"structure_id":16022,"section_number":"18.2-191","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/18.2-191\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-191","metadata":false},{"id":64436,"structure_id":16022,"section_number":"18.2-192","catch_line":"Credit card theft","url":"\/18.2-192\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-192","metadata":false},{"id":62758,"structure_id":16022,"section_number":"18.2-193","catch_line":"Credit card forgery","url":"\/18.2-193\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-193","metadata":false},{"id":71574,"structure_id":16022,"section_number":"18.2-194","catch_line":"Unauthorized possession of two or more signed credit cards or credit card numbers","url":"\/18.2-194\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-194","metadata":false},{"id":66368,"structure_id":16022,"section_number":"18.2-195","catch_line":"Credit card fraud; conspiracy; penalties","url":"\/18.2-195\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-195","metadata":false},{"id":72630,"structure_id":16022,"section_number":"18.2-195.1","catch_line":"Credit card factoring","url":"\/18.2-195.1\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-195.1","metadata":false},{"id":85008,"structure_id":16022,"section_number":"18.2-195.2","catch_line":"Fraudulent application for credit card; penalties","url":"\/18.2-195.2\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-195.2","metadata":false},{"id":70165,"structure_id":16022,"section_number":"18.2-196","catch_line":"Criminal possession of credit card forgery devices","url":"\/18.2-196\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-196","metadata":false},{"id":81300,"structure_id":16022,"section_number":"18.2-196.1","catch_line":"Unlawful use of payment card scanning devices and re-encoders; penalty","url":"\/18.2-196.1\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-196.1","metadata":false},{"id":85710,"structure_id":16022,"section_number":"18.2-197","catch_line":"Criminally receiving goods and services fraudulently obtained","url":"\/18.2-197\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-197","metadata":false},{"id":71921,"structure_id":16022,"section_number":"18.2-198","catch_line":"Obtaining airline, railroad, steamship, etc., ticket at discount price","url":"\/18.2-198\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-198","metadata":false},{"id":68971,"structure_id":16022,"section_number":"18.2-198.1","catch_line":"Venue","url":"\/18.2-198.1\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-198.1","metadata":false},{"id":85607,"structure_id":16022,"section_number":"18.2-199","catch_line":"Penalties for violation of article","url":"\/18.2-199\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-199","metadata":false}],"next_section":{"id":64436,"structure_id":16022,"section_number":"18.2-192","catch_line":"Credit card theft","url":"\/18.2-192\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-192","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-191\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 7 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1968, chapter 480; in 1975, chapters 14 and 15; in 1977, chapter 103; in 1980, chapter 99; in 1985, chapter 266; in 1991, chapter 546; in 2017, chapter 41<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":68291,"section_number":"18.2-513","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-513\/"},{"id":77143,"section_number":"19.2-215.1","catch_line":"Functions of a multi-jurisdiction grand jury","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-215.1\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":166191,"object_type":"law","relational_id":86178,"identifier":"18.2-191","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-191","url":"\/18.2-191\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-191\/","token":"18.2\/6\/6\/18.2-191","dublin_core":{"Title":"Definitions","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-191","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The following words and phrases as used in this article, unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context, shall have the following meanings:\n\t\t“Acquirer<\/span>” means a business organization, financial institution or an agent of a business organization or financial institution that authorizes a merchant to accept payment by credit card or credit card number for money, goods, services or anything else of value.\n\t\t“Cardholder<\/span>” means the person or organization named on the face of a credit card to whom or for whose benefit the credit card is issued by an issuer<\/span>.\n\t\t“Credit card” means any instrument or device, whether known as a credit card, credit plate, payment device number<\/span>, or by any other name, issued with or without fee by an issuer<\/span> for the use of the cardholder<\/span> in obtaining money, goods, services or anything else of value on credit. For the purpose of this article, “credit card” shall also include a similar device, whether known as a debit card, or any other name, issued with or without fee by an issuer<\/span> for the use of the cardholder<\/span> in obtaining money, goods, services or anything else of value by charging the account of the cardholder<\/span> with a bank or any other person even though no credit is thereby extended.\n\t\t“Expired credit card<\/span>” means a credit card which is no longer valid because the term shown on it has elapsed.\n\t\t“Issuer<\/span>” means the business organization or financial institution or its duly authorized agent which issues<\/span> a credit card.\n\t\t“Payment device number<\/span>” means any code, account number or other means of account access, other than a check, draft or similar paper instrument, that can be used to obtain money, goods, services or anything else of value, or to initiate a transfer of funds. “Payment device number<\/span>” does not include an encoded or truncated credit card number or payment device number<\/span>.\n\t\t“Receives<\/span>” or “receiving<\/span>” means acquiring possession<\/span> or control of the credit card number or payment device number<\/span> or accepting the same as security for a loan.\n\t\t“Revoked credit card<\/span>” means a credit card which is no longer valid because permission to use it has been suspended or terminated by the issuer<\/span>.\n\t\t“Sales draft<\/span>” means a paper or electronic form evidencing a purchase of goods, services or anything else of value from a merchant through the use of a credit card.\n\t\t“Cash advance\/withdrawal draft” means a paper form evidencing a cash advance or withdrawal from a bank or other financial institution through the use of a credit card.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nDEFINITIONS (\u00a7 18.2-191)\n\nThe following words and phrases as used in this article, unless a different\nmeaning is plainly required by the context, shall have the following meanings:\n\t\t“Acquirer” means a business organization, financial institution or\nan agent of a business organization or financial institution that authorizes a\nmerchant to accept payment by credit card or credit card number for money,\ngoods, services or anything else of value.\n\t\t“Cardholder” means the person or organization named on the face of\na credit card to whom or for whose benefit the credit card is issued by an\nissuer.\n\t\t“Credit card” means any instrument or device, whether known as a\ncredit card, credit plate, payment device number, or by any other name, issued\nwith or without fee by an issuer for the use of the cardholder in obtaining\nmoney, goods, services or anything else of value on credit. For the purpose of\nthis article, “credit card” shall also include a similar device,\nwhether known as a debit card, or any other name, issued with or without fee by\nan issuer for the use of the cardholder in obtaining money, goods, services or\nanything else of value by charging the account of the cardholder with a bank or\nany other person even though no credit is thereby extended.\n\t\t“Expired credit card” means a credit card which is no longer valid\nbecause the term shown on it has elapsed.\n\t\t“Issuer” means the business organization or financial institution\nor its duly authorized agent which issues a credit card.\n\t\t“Payment device number” means any code, account number or other\nmeans of account access, other than a check, draft or similar paper instrument,\nthat can be used to obtain money, goods, services or anything else of value, or\nto initiate a transfer of funds. “Payment device number” does not\ninclude an encoded or truncated credit card number or payment device number.\n\t\t“Receives” or “receiving” means acquiring possession\nor control of the credit card number or payment device number or accepting the\nsame as security for a loan.\n\t\t“Revoked credit card” means a credit card which is no longer valid\nbecause permission to use it has been suspended or terminated by the issuer.\n\t\t“Sales draft” means a paper or electronic form evidencing a\npurchase of goods, services or anything else of value from a merchant through\nthe use of a credit card.\n\t\t“Cash advance\/withdrawal draft” means a paper form evidencing a\ncash advance or withdrawal from a bank or other financial institution through\nthe use of a credit card.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 18.1-125.2; 1968, c. 480; 1975, cc. 14, 15; 1977, c. 103;\n1980, c. 99; 1985, c. 266; 1991, c. 546; 2017, c. 41.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}