---
kind: "range"
citation: "18 U.S.C. §§ 500–503"
title: "18"
from: "500"
to: "503"
count: 4
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/500..503"
---

# §500. Money orders


Whoever, with intent to defraud, falsely makes, forges, counterfeits, engraves, or prints any order in imitation of or purporting to be a blank money order or a money order issued by or under the direction of the Post Office [Department](/usc/18/6.md) or [Postal Service](/usc/18/12.md); or

Whoever forges or counterfeits the signature or initials of any person authorized to issue money orders upon or to any money order, postal note, or blank therefor provided or issued by or under the direction of the Post Office [Department](/usc/18/6.md) or [Postal Service](/usc/18/12.md), or post office [department](/usc/18/6.md) or corporation of any foreign country, and payable in the [United States](/usc/18/5.md), or any material signature or indorsement thereon, or any material signature to any receipt or certificate of identification thereof; or

Whoever falsely alters, in any material respect, any such money order or postal note; or

Whoever, with intent to defraud, passes, utters or publishes or attempts to pass, utter or publish any such forged or altered money order or postal note, knowing any material initials, signature, stamp impression or indorsement thereon to be false, forged, or counterfeited, or any material alteration therein to have been falsely made; or

Whoever issues any money order or postal note without having previously received or paid the full amount of money payable therefor, with the purpose of fraudulently obtaining or receiving, or fraudulently enabling any other person, either directly or indirectly, to obtain or receive from the [United States](/usc/18/5.md) or [Postal Service](/usc/18/12.md), or any [officer](/usc/18/202.md?p=c), [employee](/usc/18/202.md?p=c), or agent thereof, any sum of money whatever; or

Whoever embezzles, steals, or knowingly converts to his own use or to the use of another, or without authority converts or disposes of any blank money order form provided by or under the authority of the Post Office [Department](/usc/18/6.md) or [Postal Service](/usc/18/12.md); or

Whoever receives or possesses any such money order form with the intent to convert it to his own use or gain or use or gain of another knowing it to have been embezzled, stolen or converted; or

Whoever, with intent to defraud the [United States](/usc/18/5.md), the [Postal Service](/usc/18/12.md), or any person, transmits, presents, or causes to be transmitted or presented, any money order or postal note knowing the same—

(1) to contain any forged or counterfeited signature, initials, or any stamped impression, or

(2) to contain any material alteration therein unlawfully made, or

(3) to have been unlawfully issued without previous payment of the amount required to be paid upon such issue, or

(4) to have been stamped without lawful authority; or

Whoever steals, or with intent to defraud or without being lawfully authorized by the Post Office [Department](/usc/18/6.md) or [Postal Service](/usc/18/12.md), receives, possesses, disposes of or attempts to dispose of any postal money order machine or any stamp, tool, or instrument specifically designed to be used in preparing or filling out the blanks on postal money order forms—

Shall be fined under this title[^1] or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.


# §501. Postage stamps, postage meter stamps, and postal cards


Whoever forges or counterfeits any [postage stamp](/usc/18/504.md), 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](/usc/18/504.md), 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](/usc/18/504.md), postage meter stamp, stamped envelope, or postal card, of the kind authorized and provided by the Post Office [Department](/usc/18/6.md) or by the [Postal Service](/usc/18/12.md), without the special authority and direction of the [Department](/usc/18/6.md) or [Postal Service](/usc/18/12.md); or

Whoever after such [postage stamp](/usc/18/504.md), 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](/usc/18/6.md) or the [Postal Service](/usc/18/12.md), to receive it—

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


# §502. Postage and revenue stamps of foreign governments


Whoever forges, or counterfeits, or knowingly utters or uses any forged or counterfeit [postage stamp](/usc/18/504.md) or revenue stamp of any [foreign government](/usc/18/11.md), shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.


# §503. Postmarking stamps


Whoever forges or counterfeits any postmarking stamp, or impression thereof with intent to make it appear that such impression is a genuine postmark, or makes or knowingly uses or sells, or possesses with intent to use or sell, any forged or counterfeited postmarking stamp, die, plate, or engraving, or such impression thereof, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.