United States Code (Last Updated: May 24, 2014) |
Title 18. CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE |
Part I. CRIMES |
Chapter 25. COUNTERFEITING AND FORGERY |
§ 501. Postage stamps, postage meter stamps, and postal cards
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Whoever forges or counterfeits any postage stamp, postage meter stamp, or any stamp printed upon any stamped envelope, or postal card, or any die, plate, or engraving thereof; or
Whoever makes or prints, or knowingly uses or sells, or possesses with intent to use or sell, any such forged or counterfeited postage stamp, postage meter stamp, stamped envelope, postal card, die, plate, or engraving; or
Whoever makes, or knowingly uses or sells, or possesses with intent to use or sell, any paper bearing the watermark of any stamped envelope, or postal card, or any fraudulent imitation thereof; or
Whoever makes or prints, or authorizes to be made or printed, any postage stamp, postage meter stamp, stamped envelope, or postal card, of the kind authorized and provided by the Post Office Department or by the Postal Service, without the special authority and direction of the Department or Postal Service; or
Whoever after such postage stamp, postage meter stamp, stamped envelope, or postal card has been printed, with intent to defraud, delivers the same to any person not authorized by an instrument in writing, duly executed under the hand of the Postmaster General and the seal of the Post Office Department or the Postal Service, to receive it—
Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
Historical And Revision
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 348 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 219, 35 Stat. 1132).
Reference to persons causing or procuring was omitted as unnecessary in view of definition of “principal” in section 2 of this title.
Minor changes of phraseology were made.
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $500” in last par.
1970—Pub. L. 91–448 inserted references to the Postal Service and to postage meter stamps. Pub. L. 91–448, § 1(b), repealed section 6(j)(6) of the Postal Reorganization Act, Pub. L. 91–375,
Pub. L. 91–375 inserted “or by the Postal Service,” after “Post Office Department,” and substituted “the Department or Postal Service” for “said department” in fourth par. and struck out the comma after “stamped envelope” and “to defraud” and inserted “or the Postal Service” after “Post Office Department” in fifth par.
Change Of Name
Post Office Department redesignated United States Postal Service pursuant to Pub. L. 91–375, § 6(o),
Effective Date Of Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 91–375 effective within 1 year after