If someone asked you if you’re a law-abiding citizen, you would tell them that you are. You don’t use drugs, rob banks or steal cars. You follow the law, you respect authority and you have never done anything that would put you at odds with the authorities.
But is that actually true? You may be surprised by some of these common crimes that most people commit:
- Using a WiFi connection that you’re not authorized to use. This is often referred to as piggybacking.
- Lying about your name and identity when you create certain online accounts. This can violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
- Downloading illegal content. This really started with Napster and music files, but it now includes movies, games and much more.
- Holding an illegal poker game. You think it’s just for fun, but you may be in violation of gambling laws if you play for money.
- Giving someone else your password for a service that requires a subscription — such as Netflix. As common as this is, did you know that it’s a federal crime?
- Letting someone else use your medication. Even if you don’t sell it to them, if you got it with a prescription, sharing it is illegal. If you sell it, even just to cover your own costs, that’s also illegal.
As you can see, people break the law all of the time. Many of us just consider these things minor infractions, and we’re willing to look the other way. However, this attitude can lead to white collar crime allegations, and those who are accused must know their legal defense options.
