Counterfeiting is the crime of making an unauthorized imitation of a genuine article, typically money, with the intent to deceive or defraud.

Counterfeiting is singled out from other acts of forgery of the value conferred on money and the high level of technical skill required to imitate it. Counterfeiting is generally punished as a felony.

Forgery is the making of a false writing with the intent to defraud. "Writing" need not be handwriting: the law of forgery also covers printing, engraving, and keyboarding.

Counterfeiting is usually regarded as a specific type of forgery. Checks, negotiable instruments, contracts, wills, and deeds are examples of documents that may be forged. Evidence may also be forged. Forgery requires fraudulent intent; it is not forgery to sign another's name, fill in blanks, or alter a genuine writing in the honest, though mistaken, belief that such conduct is authorized.

US Code Title 18 Part I Chapter 25 includes the counterfeiting and forgery of United States securities, postage stamps, foreign bank notes to be few of the items that could form the basis of federal criminal charges. The punishment for different types of forgery and counterfeiting can range from 5 to 20 years in prison.

Whoever, with intent to defraud, falsely makes, forges, counterfeits, or alters any obligation or other security of the United States, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.

San Francisco Criminal Defense Attorney, Ginny Walia, can represent you for federal counterfeiting charges or California forgery charges.