Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73
§473 Dealing in counterfeit obligations or securities
Title 18 › Part PART I— - CRIMES › Chapter CHAPTER 25— - COUNTERFEITING AND FORGERY › § 473
Summary
Makes it a crime to trade fake U.S. government securities intending they pass as real; punishable by fine, up to 20 years' prison, or both.
Full Legal Text
Title 18, §473
Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Whoever buys, sells, exchanges, transfers, receives, or delivers any false, forged, counterfeited, or altered obligation or other security of the United States, with the intent that the same be passed, published, or used as true and genuine, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 268 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 154, 35 Stat. 1117). Reference to circulating notes of banking associations was omitted as covered by definition of obligation or other security in section 8 of this title. Changes in phraseology were made.
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2001—Pub. L. 107–56 substituted “20 years” for “ten years”. 1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
18 U.S.C. § 473
Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73