You don't usually go to jail if you owe five thousand dollars to your credit card. According to the law, if the amount of malicious overdraft is more than 1 10,000 yuan, it will be filed for prosecution. Those who owe 5000 yuan will generally be sued by the bank, asking the cardholder to pay off the arrears. Malicious overdraft refers to the behavior that the cardholder overdraws beyond the prescribed limit or term for the purpose of illegal possession, and has not returned it for more than three months after being urged twice by the issuing bank. For those who are really unable to repay, the cardholder can also apply to the bank for deferred repayment or installment repayment, so as not to affect the credit information.

legal ground

Article 54 of the Provisions on the Standards for Criminal Cases under the Jurisdiction of Public Security Organs [Credit Card Fraud (Article 196 of the Criminal Law)] If a person is suspected of credit card fraud, he shall file a case for prosecution under any of the following circumstances:

(1) Using forged credit cards, or using forged identity documents to defraud credit cards, or using invalid credit cards, or fraudulently using other people's credit cards to engage in fraudulent activities, with an amount of more than 5,000 yuan;

(2) Malicious overdraft, the amount of which is more than 1 10,000 yuan.

The term "malicious overdraft" as mentioned in this article refers to the behavior that the cardholder overdraws beyond the prescribed limit or time limit for the purpose of illegal possession, and has not returned it for more than three months after being repeatedly urged by the issuing bank.

Malicious overdraft, the amount of which is more than 1 10,000 yuan but less than110,000 yuan, has been fully repaid before the public security organ files a case. If the circumstances are obviously minor, criminal responsibility may not be investigated according to law.