What is credit card fraud?

Credit card fraud is when you use the credit card of a deceased person to purchase a 43" television.
Credit card fraud is when you use the credit card of a deceased person to purchase various merchandise items at a local home repair store.
Credit card fraud is when you use the credit card of a deceased person to purchase items for your new home from another local home repair store.

Don't most stores nowadays use video camera surveillance?  It seems like they are always showing the photos on TV and online of people they are looking for in connection to credit card fraud and retail theft.  Are there actually any low life criminals left out there that don't know about the surveillance cameras?

Wikipedia offers a definition of credit card fraud: "Credit card fraud is a wide-ranging term for theft and fraud committed using or involving a payment card, such as a credit card or debit card, as a fraudulent source of funds in a transaction. The purpose may be to obtain goods without paying, or to obtain unauthorized funds from an account. "

In Michigan you may be charged with a felony:  "In Michigan, credit or debit card fraud happens when an individual illegally uses another person's credit or debit card to pay for or purchase an item or service. Credit card fraud also includes opening a new account in another person's name, and using that card for purchases..........  In Michigan, credit cards and debit cards are referred to as Financial Transaction Devices (FTD). They can include gift cards or rebate cards. In Michigan, you can be charged with a felony for improperly using your own credit/debit card or if you possess/use the credit/debit card of another person without consent."
http://statelaws.findlaw.com/michigan-law/michigan-credit-card-fraud-laws.html 

My first bit of advice to avoid credit card faud would be very very careful of who you consider a friend and to never allow anyone to have access to your cards!

A few tips here in these links to help you avoid being the victim of credit card fraud.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/09/protect-against-credit-card-fraud-now/index.htm

http://www.discovernetwork.com/consumers/identity-theft/tips-to-avoid.html