---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 495"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "495"
heading: "Contracts, deeds, and powers of attorney"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/495"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 25 — Counterfeiting and Forgery"
---

# §495. Contracts, deeds, and powers of attorney


Whoever falsely makes, alters, forges, or counterfeits any deed, power of attorney, order, certificate, receipt, contract, or other writing, for the purpose of obtaining or receiving, or of enabling any other person, either directly or indirectly, to obtain or receive from the [United States](/usc/18/5.md) or any [officers](/usc/18/202.md?p=c) or agents thereof, any sum of money; or

Whoever utters or publishes as true any such false, forged, altered, or counterfeited writing, with intent to defraud the [United States](/usc/18/5.md), knowing the same to be false, altered, forged, or counterfeited; or

Whoever transmits to, or presents at any office or [officer](/usc/18/202.md?p=c) of the [United States](/usc/18/5.md), any such writing in support of, or in relation to, any account or claim, with intent to defraud the [United States](/usc/18/5.md), knowing the same to be false, altered, forged, or counterfeited—

Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both.


## Source credit

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 711; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)

## Notes

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 73 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, § 29, 35 Stat. 1094).

Reference in first paragraph to persons causing, procuring, aiding or assisting was omitted as unnecessary as such persons are made principals by section 2 of this title.

Mandatory punishment provision was rephrased in the alternative.

Changes were made in phraseology.

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000”.