102 STAT. 816
PUBLIC LAW 100-360—JULY 1, 1988 PROHIBITION OF MISUSE OF SYMBOLS, EMBLEMS, OR NAMES IN REFERENCE TO SOCIAL SECURITY OR MEDICARE
Law enforcement and crime.
42 USC
1320b-10.
Claims.
"SEC. 1140, (a) No person may use, in connection with any item constituting an advertisement, solicitation, circular, book, pamphlet, or other communication, or a play, motion picture, broadcast, telecast, or other production, alone or with other words, letters, S3mibols, or emblems— "(1) the words 'Social Security', 'Social Security Account', 'Social Security System', 'Social Security Administration', 'Medicare', 'Health Care Financing Administration', the letters 'SSA' or 'HCFA', or any other combination or variation of such words or letters, or "(2) a sjonbol or emblem of the Social Security Administration (including the design of, or a reasonable facsimile of the design of, the social security card issued pursuant to section 205(c)(2)(E), the check used for payment of benefits under title II, or envelopes or other stationery used by the Social Security Administration) or of the Health Care Financing Administration, or any other combination or variation of such symbols or emblems, in a manner which such person knows or should know would convey the false impression that such item is approved, endorsed, or authorized by the Social Security Administration, the Health Care Financing Administration, or the Department of Health and Human Services or that such person has some connection with, or authorization from, the Social Security Administration, the Health Care Financing Administration, or the Department of Health and Human Services. "(b)(l) Subject to paragraph (2), the Secretary may, pursuant to regulations, impose a civil money penalty not to exceed— "(A) except as provided in subparagraph (B), $5,000, or "(B) in the ceise of a violation consisting of a broadcast or telecast, $25,000, against any person for each violation by such person of subsection (a). "(2) The total amount of penalties which may be imposed under paragraph (1) with respect to multiple violations in any one year period consisting of substantially identical communications or productions shall not exceed $100,000. "(c)(1) Subsections (c), (d), (e), (g), 0), and (k) of section 1128A shall apply with respect to violations under subsection (a) and penalties imposed under subsection (b) in the same manner and to the same extent as such subsections apply with respect to claims in violation of section 1128A and penalties imposed under section 1128A(a). "(2) Penalties imposed against a person under subsection (b) may be compromised by the Secretary and may be recovered in a civil action in the name of the United States brought in the district court of the United States for the district in which the violation occurred or where the person resides, has its principal office, or may be found, as determined by the Secretary. Amounts recovered under this section shall be paid to the Secretary and shall be deposited as miscellaneous receipts of the Treasury of the United States. The amount of such penalty when finally determined, or the amount agreed upon in compromise, may be deducted from any sum then or later owing by the United States to the person against whom the penalty has been imposed.".
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