2025 Texas Statutes
Penal Code
Title 7 - Offenses Against Property
Chapter 31 - Theft
Section 31.17. Unauthorized Acquisition or Transfer of Certain Financial Information
Sec. 31.17. UNAUTHORIZED ACQUISITION OR TRANSFER OF CERTAIN FINANCIAL INFORMATION. (a) In this section:
(1) "Check" has the meaning assigned by Section 3.104, Business & Commerce Code.
(2) "Credit card" and "debit card" have the meanings assigned by Section 32.31.
(3) "Financial sight order or payment card information" means financial information that is:
(A) contained on either side of a check or similar sight order, check card, debit card, or credit card; or
(B) encoded on the magnetic strip or stripe of a check card, debit card, or credit card.
(b) A person commits an offense if the person, knowing that the person is not entitled to obtain or possess that financial information:
(1) obtains the financial sight order or payment card information of another by use of an electronic, photographic, visual imaging, recording, or other device capable of accessing, reading, recording, capturing, copying, imaging, scanning, reproducing, or storing in any manner the financial sight order or payment card information; or
(2) transfers to a third party information obtained as described by Subdivision (1).
(c) An offense under Subsection (b)(1) is a Class B misdemeanor. An offense under Subsection (b)(2) is a Class A misdemeanor.
(d) If conduct that constitutes an offense under this section also constitutes an offense under any other law, the actor may be prosecuted under this section or the other law.
Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 260 (H.B. 1215), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011.
