1462. Forged Endorsements Charged Under 18 U.S.C. 495 Or 510

Section 471 of Title 18 proscribes the counterfeiting or forgery of any obligation or security of the United States, while 18 U.S.C. §§ 472 and 473 prohibit the uttering and dealing in such counterfeit or forged obligations or securities. Those statutes relate to the counterfeiting or forgery of the instrument itself. A forged endorsement on an otherwise valid government obligation does not render such obligation a forgery within the meaning of 18 U.S.C. §§ 471 to 473. Accordingly, forged endorsements on government obligations or securities should be charged under 18 U.S.C. §§ 495 or 510.

[cited in JM 9-64.133]