Can you lie about your name to a police officer?

Penal Code 148.9 PC prohibits one to falsely represent a fake or fictitious identity to a police officer either to evade the process of the court, or to evade the proper identification of the person1.

Is giving a false name illegal?

False information could include a false name, date of birth, home address, or phone number. Is it illegal to give a fake name to a police officer? Yes, a defendant can be charged with knowingly and willfully giving a false name to a police officer after being arrested.

Is using fake name illegal?

It’s not illegal to use a fake name online. It’s only illegal if you’re committing a crime under that name, or committing fraud with it.

Is it a crime to lie about your name?

Lying to protect your anonymity is not illegal. If you lie to protect your identity, that’s not illegal. But when you lie for personal gain, then you are committing fraud, even if the fraud might not be prosecuted.

Is it a crime to lie to the police?

The act of lying to the police is not always meant to be prohibited by the criminal law in the first instance. The law only wants to ban lying to the cops under certain circumstances. When it comes to your name, the law criminalizes (and thus tries to prevent) lying when your are lawfully arrested, detained, or when you are a witness to a crime.

Is it illegal to give a fake name to the police?

Giving a fake name, under these circumstances, is not illegal. The law takes no position on whether you should or should not lie to the officer. This means every time a person is charged with obstructing identification, the questions that has to be asked is if:

How do you present a false identity to the police?

Example of Presenting a False Identity to a Police Officer: James is pulled over because the police officer suspected that he was driving under influence. When the officer asked James for his name, James gave him a name that he made up on the spot.

Is lying to the police a form of perjury?

No. Perjury requires that the person knowingly lie while under oath. The police do not have the authority to swear witnesses in and take sworn testimony from them. Therefore, lying to the police is not perjury per se.