Creating, forging, or altering almost any document, with the intent to defraud is considered a forgery. The person committing a forgery is subject to state and sometimes federal laws. The crime of forgery covers nearly every class of instruments known to the law as affecting private or public rights. The most common forged documents are checks. However, there are a number of other documents and instruments that are commonly forged:
- Checks
- Bills of Exchange
- Bills of Lading
- Promissory Notes
- Money orders
- Deeds
- Titles
- Securities
- Bonds
- Court Seals
- Currency
- Corporate documents
- Documents used in identity theft
Federal law lists a wide variety of documents and articles whose forgery constitutes a federal offense. For example, it is a federal criminal offense to use forged military passes to deceive foreign officials and airline employees, to forge or alter an obligation or other security of the United States or falsely alter a postal money order, and to forge a treasury check.