La falsificación de instrumentos privados: Una estafa especial?

This paper aims to challenge the thesis according to which counterfeiting private documents isa special form of fraud. For this purpose, it highlights the similarities and differences betweenthe concepts of falsehood and deception. Subsequently, considering the regulating of the ChileanPenal Code, a number of distinctions between these two crimes are observed. Such distinctionsfocus on the historical origin and evolution; the suitability of the mendacious statement required;the structure of both criminal offences; object protected by each of them; the nature of the damage, and, finally, the role of the damage in each offence.