8.50 False Impersonation of Federal Officer or Employee (18 U.S.C. Sec. 912) is a federal offense in which a person falsely represents themselves as an officer or employee of the United States government or any department or agency thereof. This is a crime of deception and fraud, as the perpetrator is deliberately misrepresenting themselves in order to obtain some benefit or gain access to something that they would not otherwise be able to. There are two types of False Impersonation of Federal Officer or Employee (18 U.S.C. Sec. 912): active and passive. Active false impersonation is when a person takes concrete steps to pretend to be an officer or employee, such as wearing a uniform or presenting credentials. Passive false impersonation is when a person does not take any concrete steps to pretend to be an officer or employee, but still implies that they are one. Both of these are criminal offenses and carry penalties such as fines and potential imprisonment.