Deception of prospective purchasers
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
Whoever, for a reward paid or promised to him in that behalf, undertakes to locate for an intending purchaser, settler, or entryman any public lands of the United States subject to disposition under the public-land laws, and who and falsely represents to such intending purchaser, settler, or entryman that any tract of land shown to him is public land of the United States subject to sale, settlement, or entry, or that it is of a particular surveyed description, with intent to deceive the person to whom such representation is made, or who, in of the truth, falsely represents to any such person that any tract of land shown to him is public land of the United States subject to sale, settlement, or entry, or that it is of a particular surveyed description, thereby deceiving the person to whom such representation is made, shall be or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
History: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 789 (PDF, 39 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(F), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 (PDF, 52 MB).)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime for a paid land locator to falsely tell a would-be buyer or settler that land is available U.S. public land, or that it has a certain surveyed description. This applies whether the lie is told on purpose to deceive or with reckless disregard for the truth and actually deceives the person.