What is the difference between civil fraud and criminal fraud?

Civil and criminal fraud are both types of fraud however they have several important differences. Civil fraud is a form of fraud that results in the victim suffering an economic loss. It is usually brought against a person or a core group of individuals in a civil court. The person responsible for committing the fraud can be held financially responsible and the court will order them to pay damages to the victim. In civil fraud cases, the burden of proof rests on the victim to show that the fraud occurred. Criminal fraud, on the other hand, is fraud that is committed with the intention of deceiving another party or causing them harm. It is handled in criminal court and the accused may face jail time if convicted. In criminal fraud cases, the burden of proof rests on the prosecution to prove that the fraud occurred. Civil and criminal fraud also have different standards of proof. In civil fraud cases, the plaintiff must prove that the fraud occurred by a preponderance of the evidence (i.e. the likelihood that the fraud occurred is greater than 50%). For criminal fraud, the prosecution must prove that the fraud occurred beyond a reasonable doubt. In the state of California, both civil and criminal fraud are taken seriously and are punishable by law. It is important to understand the differences between these two types of fraud in order to protect yourself from becoming a victim.

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