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The Daily Insight Hub

Can you go to jail for timecard fraud?

Author

Daniel Santos

Updated on February 13, 2026

Falsifying time card data is a serious concern for companies today, and one that, in extreme cases, can even be considered a form of larceny –carrying the risk of potential jail time and fines.

Is time card theft a crime?

Timecard theft hurts everyone and should not be tolerated. Remind employees that timecard fraud isn’t just a violation of company policy, it’s illegal. Theft, depending on the amount of time logged, could be a misdemeanor or felony offense.

What is the punishment for time card fraud?

Employees who commit time sheet fraud face a variety of consequences. Employees may face jail or prison time — an NSA contractor in May 2011 faced a maximum sentence of five years in prison — and may lose their jobs.

Is time theft a fraud?

What is time theft? Simply put, time theft is when an employee is paid for the time that they did not actually work. It is also known as time fraud or stealing time.

Is time fraud serious?

Consequences. Employees who commit time sheet fraud face a variety of consequences. Employees may face jail or prison time — an NSA contractor in May 2011 faced a maximum sentence of five years in prison — and may lose their jobs.

Is wage theft a federal crime?

Historically wage theft and other crimes against workers have not been prosecuted. Rather, civil enforcement by labor departments, along with private class-action lawsuits, have more commonly been the methods used to enforce crucial workplace protections like the right to be paid wages owed.

What happens if you are caught stealing from work?

FindLaw states that the court may charge you with theft for embezzling money. The court can charge you with a misdemeanor or felony depending on the amount of money taken. You may also face additional penalties and fines for subsequent charges.

How long do you go to jail for credit card fraud?

Even repeated offenses can be tried as Class C felony and the convicted person could get a minimum jail time of 3 to 6 years and maximum of 7.5 years to 15 years.

What’s the punishment for stealing a credit card?

The punishment for a minor offense is typically a monetary fine, rarely jail time. Typically, minor offense includes stealing the card but not using it. Misdemeanor. The punishment can be a combination of a higher monetary fine and jail time.

What kind of crime is credit card fraud?

Credit card fraud is a broad term that covers any crime involving a payment card. Usually, the goal of credit card fraud is to get access to someone else’s funds, but it can sometimes involve identity theft as well.

How long can you go to jail for FTC theft?

In my state, FTC theft and FTC fraud are typically felonies; one to three years in prison with a $5000 fine is what is prescribed.