18 U.S.C. § 288 — False claims for postal losses

submitted 78 years ago by ch. 645 to r/title-18-CRIMES-AND-CRIMINAL-PROCEDURE · 140 words · no verdicts yet

in plain englishAI-generated · not legal advice

It's a federal crime to make a false, fake, or fraudulent claim for postal insurance money after losing a registered or insured letter or package. It's also a crime to use false statements to try to get such a claim paid, or to knowingly hide an important fact about the claim. The penalty is a fine, up to one year in prison, or both, but if the claim is under $1,000, only a fine applies.

This section makes it a crime to seek payment for lost postal insurance through dishonesty. It covers three kinds of conduct: making, alleging, or presenting a claim or application for indemnity (insurance payment) for a lost registered or insured letter, parcel, package, or other item, knowing the claim is false, fake, or fraudulent; making or using any false statement, certificate, affidavit, or sworn statement (deposition) in order to get such a claim paid or approved; and knowingly and willfully misrepresenting, misstating, or hiding any important (material) fact about such a claim, done for that same purpose. Anyone who does any of these things can be fined under this title, imprisoned for up to one year, or both. But if the claim or application involved less than $1,000, only a fine can be imposed — no prison time.

the actual law source: uscode.house.gov ↗public domain

Whoever makes, alleges, or presents any claim or application for indemnity for the loss of any registered or insured letter, parcel, package, or other article or matter, or the contents thereof, knowing such claim or application to be false, fictitious, or fraudulent; or

Whoever for the purpose of obtaining or aiding to obtain the payment or approval of any such claim or application, makes or uses any false statement, certificate, affidavit, or deposition; or

Whoever knowingly and willfully misrepresents, or misstates, or, for the purpose aforesaid, knowingly and willfully conceals any material fact or circumstance in respect of any such claim or application for indemnity—

Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.

Where the amount of such claim or application for indemnity is less than $1,000 only a fine shall be imposed.

Source credit: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 698; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(G), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 104–294, title VI, § 606(a), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3511.)

history & why it existsrecord from the source credit

1948Enacted · Act of June 25, 1948, ch. 645 · 62 Stat. 698
1994Amended · Pub. L. 103-322 · 108 Stat. 2147
1996Amended · Pub. L. 104-294 · 110 Stat. 3511

A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by ch. 645 on 1948-06-25.

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