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18 USC § 550 - False claim for refund of duties

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t18/s550"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "18 USC § 550 - False claim for refund of duties"
title_number: 18
title_name: "CRIMES AND CRIMINAL PROCEDURE"
section_number: "550"
section_name: "False claim for refund of duties"
chapter_number: 27
chapter_name: "CUSTOMS"
part_number: "I"
part_name: "CRIMES"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-21"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 718; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)"
---

# § 550. False claim for refund of duties

Whoever knowingly and willfully files any false or fraudulent entry or claim for the payment of drawback, allowance, or refund of duties upon the exportation of merchandise, or knowingly or willfully makes or files any false affidavit, abstract, record, certificate, or other document, with a view to securing the payment to himself or others of any drawback, allowance, or refund of duties, on the exportation of merchandise, greater than that legally due thereon, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both, and such merchandise or the value thereof shall be forfeited.

---

**Source Credit**: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 718; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(K), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)

### Historical and Revision Notes

Based on , U.S.C., 1940 ed., Customs Duties (, title IV, § 590, ).

Reference to felony, contained in words “such person shall be guilty of a felony” was omitted as unnecessary in view of definition of felony in . This, too, was the policy adopted by the codifiers of the 1909 Criminal Code. (See S. Rept. 10, pt. I, pp. 12, 13, and 14, 60th Cong., 1st sess.)

Words “and upon conviction thereof” before “shall be punished” were also omitted as unnecessary, since punishment cannot be imposed until a conviction is secured.

Changes were made in phraseology.

## Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1994— substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $5,000”.