(1) Whosoever for the purpose of deception in legal commerce or to facilitate such deception

1.  counterfeits or alters domestic or foreign payment cards, cheques or promissory notes; or

2.  procures for himself or another, offers for sale, gives to another or uses such counterfeit cards, cheques, or promissory notes

shall be liable to imprisonment not exceeding five years or a fine.

(2) The attempt shall be punishable.

(3) If the offender acts on a commercial basis or as a member of a gang whose purpose is the continued commission of offences under subsection (1) above the penalty shall be imprisonment from six months to ten years.

(4) Payment cards within the meaning of subsection (1) above are cards

1.  which are provided by a credit or financial services institution, and

2.  which are specially protected against imitation through design or coding.

(5) Section 149 to the extent that it refers to the counterfeiting of stamps and section 150(2) shall apply mutatis mutandis.