US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

42 U.S.C. § 1307

Penalty for fraud

(a)
Whoever, with the intent to defraud any person, shall make or cause to be made any false representation concerning the requirements of this chapter, of chapter 2, 21, or 23 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or of any provision of subtitle F of such Code which corresponds (within the meaning of section 7852(b) of such Code) to a provision contained in subchapter E of chapter 9 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1939, or of any rules or regulations issued thereunder, knowing such representations to be false, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $1,000, or by imprisonment not exceeding one year, or both.
(b)
Whoever, with the intent to elicit information as to the social security account number, date of birth, employment, wages, or benefits of any individual (1) falsely represents to the Commissioner of Social Security or the Secretary that he is such individual, or the wife, husband, widow, widower, divorced wife, divorced husband, surviving divorced wife, surviving divorced husband, surviving divorced mother, surviving divorced father, child, or parent of such individual, or the duly authorized agent of such individual, or of the wife, husband, widow, widower, divorced wife, divorced husband, surviving divorced wife, surviving divorced husband, surviving divorced mother, surviving divorced father, child, or parent of such individual, or (2) falsely represents to any person that he is an employee or agent of the United States, shall be deemed guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $10,000 for each occurrence of a violation, or by imprisonment not exceeding 5 years, or both.

Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531Aug. 10, 1939, ch. 66653 Stat. 1398Aug. 28, 1950, ch. 80964 Stat. 560Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VI, § 2663(e)(2)(A)l98 Stat. 1168Pub. L. 99–514, § 2100 Stat. 2095Pub. L. 103–296, title I, § 108(b)(6)108 Stat. 1482(, title XI, § 1107, as added , title VIII, § 802, ; amended , title IV, § 403(e), (f), ; , (3), (j)(2)(D)(iii), ()(1), , , 1170, 1171; , , ; , title III, § 313(b), , , 1530.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Pub. L. 99–514, § 2100 Stat. 2095section 1 of Title 26section 7852(b) of Title 26Subchapter E of chapter 9 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1939, referred to in subsec. (a), was comprised of sections 1631 to 1636 of the 1939 Code, and was repealed (subject to certain exceptions) by section 7851(a)(1)(A), (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, Title 26. The Internal Revenue Code of 1954 was redesignated the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 by , , . For table of comparisons of the 1939 Code to the 1986 Code, see Table I preceding , Internal Revenue Code. See also for provision that references in any other law to a provision of the 1939 Code, unless expressly incompatible with the intent thereof, shall be deemed a reference to the corresponding provision of the 1986 Code.

section 1 of Title 26For provision deeming a reference in other laws to a provision of the 1939 Code as a reference to the corresponding provisions of the 1986 Code, see section 7852(b) of the 1986 Code. For table of comparisons of the 1939 Code to the 1986 Code, see table preceding , Internal Revenue Code. The Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is classified generally to Title 26.

Amendments

Pub. L. 103–296, § 313(b)1994—Subsec. (b). , inserted “social security account number,” after “information as to the” and substituted “felony” for “misdemeanor”, “$10,000 for each occurrence of a violation” for “$1,000”, and “5 years” for “one year”.

Pub. L. 103–296, § 108(b)(6), which directed that subsec. (b) be amended by substituting “the Commissioner of Social Security or the Secretary” for “the Secretary of Health and Human Services”, was executed by making the substitution for “the Secretary” to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Pub. L. 99–5141986—Subsec. (a). substituted “Internal Revenue Code of 1986” for “Internal Revenue Code of 1954”.

Pub. L. 98–369, § 2663(e)(2)(A)1984—Subsec. (a). , substituted “of chapter 2, 21, or 23 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, or of any provision of subtitle F of such Code which corresponds (within the meaning of section 7852(b) of such Code) to a provision contained in subchapter E of chapter 9 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1939,” for “subchapter E of chapter 1 or subchapter A, C, or E of chapter 9 of the Internal Revenue Code [of 1939]”.

Pub. L. 98–369, § 2663lSubsec. (b). ()(1), substituted “Secretary” for “Administrator”.

Pub. L. 98–369, § 2663(j)(2)(D)(iii), which directed the substitution of “Health and Human Services” for “Health, Education, and Welfare” could not be executed because “Health, Education, and Welfare” did not appear in text.

Pub. L. 98–369, § 2663(e)(3), substituted “divorced wife, divorced husband, surviving divorced wife, surviving divorced husband, surviving divorced mother, surviving divorced father,” for “former wife divorced,” in two places.

1950—Subsec. (a). Act , § 403(e), substituted “subchapter E of chapter 1 or subchapter A, C, or E of chapter 9 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1939,” for “the Federal Insurance Contributions Act, or the Federal Unemployment Tax Act,”.

Subsec. (b). Act , § 403(f), substituted “Administrator” for “Board” and “wife, husband, widow, widower, former wife divorced, child, or parent” for “wife, parent, or child” wherever appearing.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1994 Amendment

section 108(b)(6) of Pub. L. 103–296section 110(a) of Pub. L. 103–296section 401 of this titleAmendment by effective , see , set out as a note under .

section 313(b) of Pub. L. 103–296section 313(c) of Pub. L. 103–296section 1306 of this titleAmendment by applicable to violations occurring on or after , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment

Pub. L. 98–369, div. B, title VI, § 2663(e)(2)(B)98 Stat. 1168

“The amendment made by subparagraph (A) [amending this section] shall not apply to returns filed or representations made on or before the date of the enactment of this Act [].”
, , , provided that:

lPub. L. 98–369section 2664(b) of Pub. L. 98–369section 401 of this titleAmendment by section 2663(e)(3), (j)(2)(D)(iii), ()(1) of effective , but not to be construed as changing or affecting any right, liability, status, or interpretation which existed (under the provisions of law involved) before that date, see , set out as a note under .