A person commits an offense if he forges a writing with intent to defraud or harm another. What is the offense called?

• A. Fraud
• B. Counterfeiting
• C. Forgery
• D. False Pretenses

Answer: (C)

Forgery is the crime of making, altering, or presenting a written instrument in a way that it appears to be the act of another, with the intent to defraud or harm someone. In this scenario, the offender forges a writing by creating or altering a document to deceive, aiming to gain something or harm another person. The other options don’t fit: counterfeiting involves fake money, false pretenses involve obtaining property through misrepresentation, and fraud is a broad deceit but not the specific act of creating or altering a written instrument to look legitimate. The essential element is a forged writing tied to an intent to defraud or harm, which is why the correct term is forgery.