18 U.S.C. § 1342
Section 1342 · Fictitious name or address
Amended 3 times on record
Applied in 202 court decisions — leading case Manual Enterprises, Inc. v. Day (1962)
Most recently applied in United States v. Novis (Denkberg) (June 2025)
Cases citing this section usually also cite 18 U.S.C. § 1341 · 18 U.S.C. § 371 · 18 U.S.C. § 1343
How often courts cite this section
Court decisions citing this, by year.Markers show enactment, consequential amendments, and circuit splits over this section — watch for a citation surge after a change or a disagreement. The dip in the last several years is a data-coverage gap, not a real trend — our corpus holds fewer opinions from the most recent years, so recent citations are undercounted.
Whoever, for the purpose of conducting, promoting, or carrying on by means of the Postal Service, any scheme or device mentioned in section 1341 of this title or any other unlawful business, uses or assumes, or requests to be addressed by, any fictitious, false, or assumed title, name, or address or name other than his own proper name, or takes or receives from any post office or authorized depository of mail matter, any letter, postal card, package, or other mail matter addressed to any such fictitious, false, or assumed title, name, or address, or name other than his own proper name, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.
Editorial notes U.S. Code · Office of the Law Revision Counsel
Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., §339 (Mar. 4, 1909, ch. 321, §216, 35 Stat. 1131).
The punishment language used in section 1341 of this title was substituted in lieu of the reference to it in this section.
Minor changes in phraseology were made.
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $1,000”.
1970—Pub. L. 91–375 substituted “Postal Service” for “Post Office Department of the United States”.
Effective Date of 1970 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 91–375 effective within 1 year after Aug. 12, 1970, on date established therefor by Board of Governors of United States Postal Service and published by it in Federal Register, see section 15(a) of Pub. L. 91–375, set out as an Effective Date note preceding section 101 of Title 39, Postal Service.
Cross References
Seizure and disposition of nonmailable matter, see section 3001 of Title 39, Postal Service.
Use of fictitious, false or assumed name on mail to conduct, or assist in, activity in violation of this section, see section 3003 of Title 39.