Having a substance abuse problem is a slippery slope. You may find yourself unable to carry out obligations because you are too busy thinking about your next fix, using or trying to obtain more of the substance. As a result, many aspects of your life can be ruined due to your addiction.
Additionally, individuals with addiction problems often end up embroiled in illegal activity. While buying, possessing, using or selling illegal drugs can easily result in criminal charges, you may also face allegations of other crimes because of the steps you took to pay for your drug habit.
Drug addiction is expensive
In particular, reports have indicated a connection between opioid addiction and credit card fraud. Unfortunately, the opioid epidemic is known as such for a reason: it is widespread and can affect anyone. Often, opioids come in the form of pain relievers that individuals receive as a prescription, such as oxycodone. While these medications can help people who are in pain, they can also result in some patients forming addictions.
This type of scenario may seem familiar to you, and after you ran out of your pills, you may have found yourself searching for ways to obtain more even though your doctor saw no reason to renew your prescription. You may have turned to illegal means as a result, but you likely quickly realized how costly your addiction was. In fact, a single 10-milligram tablet of oxycodone may have cost you around $1.25 at a pharmacy, but illegally, you may have paid $10 for a single tablet.
Addiction and fraud
Because of the expense associated with buying opioids on the street, you may have considered switching to another substance that would give you more for your money, or, like many others, you may have chosen to use someone else’s money to feed your habit. It is not unusual for individuals with addiction problems to commit credit card fraud as a way to pay for their illegal drugs.
While credit card fraud could involve extreme measures of opening new accounts in someone else’s name, it could also be as simple as taking a loved one’s card and using it without permission.
Facing charges
Unfortunately, many people who struggle with addiction problems end up facing serious criminal charges. Because of your hardships, you may face drug-related allegations as well as those for credit card fraud. If so, you may find it in your best interests to gain reliable information regarding your defense options from local Illinois legal resources.