Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) Practice Exam

What crime is committed when someone uses a forged check to purchase a pizza?

1. Theft

2. Fraud

3. Forgery

4. Embezzlement

The correct answer is: Forgery

When someone uses a forged check to purchase a pizza, the crime committed is forgery. Forgery involves the act of falsely making or altering a document with the intent to defraud or deceive another person. In this scenario, the individual is using a check that has been altered or created with fraudulent intent, which misrepresents their financial situation and is used to obtain goods (the pizza) without proper payment. While fraud is a related concept that encompasses a broader range of deceptive practices to secure unfair or unlawful gain, the specific act of using a forged check falls directly under forgery due to the manipulation of the check itself. Theft involves taking someone else’s property without their consent, which is not the primary action here, as the focus is on the fraudulent method of payment. Embezzlement refers to the misappropriation of assets by someone in a position of trust, which does not apply to this case involving a forged document.