# § 1861. Deception of prospective purchasers
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 willfully 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 reckless disregard 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 fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
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**Source Credit**: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 789; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(F), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147.)
### Historical and Revision Notes
Based on title 18, U.S.C., 1940 ed., § 114 (, ).
Words “deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and” which preceded “punished” were omitted as unnecessary in view of definitive .
Minor changes were made in phraseology.
## Editorial Notes
### Amendments
1994— substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $300”.