§ 473
Dealing in counterfeit obligations or securities
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
Whoever buys, sells, exchanges, transfers, receives, or delivers any false, forged, counterfeited, or altered obligation or other security of the United States, with the intent that the same be passed, published, or used as true and genuine, shall be or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.
History: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 705 (PDF, 39 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 (PDF, 52 MB); Pub. L. 107–56, title III, §374(d), Oct. 26, 2001, 115 Stat. 340.)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime to buy, sell, trade, transfer, receive, or deliver fake or altered U.S. money or securities, intending that they be passed off or used as real.