2022 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 53a - Penal Code
Chapter 952 - Penal Code: Offenses
Section 53a-128a. - Credit and debit card crimes. Definitions.

As used in this section and sections 53a-128b to 53a-128i, inclusive:

(a) “Cardholder” or “holder of a card” means the person named on the face of a payment card to whom or for whose benefit the payment card is issued by an issuer or, in the case of a payment card that does not bear that name of a person on its face, the person who lawfully acquired the payment card;

(b) “Credit card” means any instrument or device, whether known as a credit card, as a credit plate, 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;

(c) “Debit card” means any card, code, device or other means of access, or any combination thereof, that is issued or authorized for use to debit an asset account held directly or indirectly by a financial institution and that may be used by the cardholder to obtain money, goods, services or anything else of value, regardless of whether the card, code, device or other means of access, or any combination thereof, is known as a debit card. “Debit card” includes, but is not limited to, cards, codes, devices or other means of access or some combination thereof, commonly known as payroll cards and automated teller machine cards. “Debit card” does not include a check, draft or similar paper instrument, or an electronic representation thereof;

(d) “Digital wallet” means a software application that is used on a computer or other device, including, but not limited to, a mobile device, to store digital forms of one or more payment cards that may be used to obtain money, goods, services or anything else of value;

(e) “Expired payment card” means a payment card that is no longer valid because the term shown on it has elapsed;

(f) “Issuer” means the person that issues a payment card, or its agent duly authorized for that purpose;

(g) “Participating party” means any person or any duly authorized agent of such person, that is obligated by contract to acquire from another person providing money, goods, services or anything else of value, a sales slip, sales draft or instrument for the payment of money, evidencing a payment card transaction, and from whom, directly or indirectly, the issuer is obligated by contract to acquire such sales slip, sales draft, instrument for the payment of money and the like;

(h) “Payment card” means either a credit card or a debit card;

(i) “Receives” or “receiving” means acquiring possession, custody or control;

(j) “Revoked payment card” means a payment card that is no longer valid because permission to use it has been suspended or terminated by the issuer.

(1971, P.A. 871, S. 29; P.A. 92-260, S. 55; P.A. 17-26, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 92-260 made a technical change; P.A. 17-26 replaced references to credit card with references to payment card, amended Subsec. (a) by redefining “cardholder” or “holder of card”, added new Subsec. (c) defining “debit card”, added Subsec. (d) defining “digital wallet”, redesignated existing Subsecs. (c) to (e) as Subsecs. (e) to (g), added Subsec. (h) defining “payment card”, redesignated existing Subsecs. (f) and (g) as Subsecs. (i) and (j), and made technical changes.

See Sec. 54-1d(b) re consolidation of offenses.

A merchant account identification card and a telephone card are within meaning of “credit card”. 246 C. 402.