'Theft of Services is the legal term for a crime which is committed when a person obtains valuable services — as opposed to goods — by deception, force, threat or other unlawful means, i.e., without lawfully compensating the provider for these services'.
Is it the current economic climate or a culture that has developed - people are not paying their bills and claiming virtually anything just to get out of their responsibilities. If a person or an entity never had the intent to pay for the service/s you have provided prior to engaging the service for any reason - this if FRAUD.
The Courts are full of Civil cases that should be dealt with under the Federal and State Policing laws - better said, CRIMINALLY.
I am currently working on numerous cases / matters where the people owing monies are not making payments, claiming:
Agreements have not been made;
Contracts are not in place or signed;
'...........but he............but she' (excuses);
etc...............etc
Once you have committed FRAUD, you are criminally implicated and can be investigated / charged - END of STORY