---
kind: "section"
citation: "18 U.S.C. § 712"
title: "18"
title_heading: "Crimes and Criminal Procedure"
number: "712"
heading: "Misuse of names, words, emblems, or insignia"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/18/712"
units:
  - "Part I — Crimes"
  - "Chapter 33 — Emblems, Insignia, and Names"
---

# §712. Misuse of names, words, emblems, or insignia


[Whoever](/usc/18/921.md?p=a-1), in the course of collecting or aiding in the collection of private debts or obligations, or being engaged in furnishing private police, investigation, or other private detective services, uses or employs in any communication, correspondence, notice, advertisement, or circular the words “national”, “Federal”, or “[United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9)”, the initials “U.S.”, or any emblem, insignia, or name, for the purpose of conveying and in a manner reasonably calculated to convey the false impression that such communication is from a department, agency, bureau, or instrumentality of the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9) or in any manner represents the [United States](/usc/18/229F.md?p=9), shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.


## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 86–291, § 1, Sept. 21, 1959, 73 Stat. 570; amended Pub. L. 93–147, § 1(a), Nov. 3, 1973, 87 Stat. 554; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(H), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

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

1973—Pub. L. 93–147 substituted “Misuse of names, words, emblems, or insignia” for “Misuse of names by collecting agencies or private detective agencies to indicate Federal agency” in section catchline and substituted “in the course” and “such communication is from a department” for “being engaged in the business” and “such business is a department” respectively, and struck out “as part of the firm name of such business,” after “detective services, uses”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Pub. L. 86–291, § 2, Sept. 21, 1959, 73 Stat. 570, provided that: “The provisions of this section [enacting this section] shall become effective sixty days from the enactment thereof [Sept. 21, 1959].”