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Illinois residents are being targeted by a text message scam impersonating the state DMV, claiming recipients have unpaid tickets and threatening to suspend their vehicle registration and driving privileges unless they pay immediately. The scammers are attempting to trick people into revealing personal and financial information through these fraudulent messages. Officials advise residents to never respond to or click links in suspicious texts, and to report any scam messages to the Federal Trade Commission online, while remembering that legitimate DMV communications will never request payment or personal details via text.

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is warning residents about text message scams impersonating the Department of Motor Vehicles that threaten to suspend licenses and registrations to trick people into sharing personal or financial information. Illinois residents should never respond to or click links in unsolicited texts claiming to be from the DMV, since the state office only sends appointment reminders via text and never requests personal information through messages. Anyone who receives these scam messages should report them to the Federal Trade Commission to help protect themselves and others.

Illinois residents are being targeted by text message scams impersonating the Department of Motor Vehicles, claiming their vehicle registration will be suspended and threatening law enforcement action to pressure them into clicking malicious links or sharing personal information. The Illinois Secretary of State warns that legitimate DMV texts only contain appointment reminders, so residents should never respond to or click links in unsolicited DMV texts. If you receive one of these scam messages, simply delete it and report it to the Federal Trade Commission to help protect yourself and others.

# Scam Summary Illinois experienced a dramatic surge in reported scams in 2025, with cases nearly doubling from 1,196 to 2,553—a record increase driven primarily by online purchase scams, phishing, and employment fraud that exploited fake websites, deceptive emails, and AI-powered deepfakes. The scams disproportionately targeted people through high-emotion tactics (fear or excitement) combined with pressure to pay immediately via bank transfers, gift cards, or wire transfers. To protect yourself, be skeptical of too-good-to-be-true deals, verify websites and job offers independently before any payment, and never send money via untraceable methods like gift cards or wire transfers.

Scam reports in Chicago and Northern Illinois more than doubled in 2025, rising from 1,196 to 2,553 cases, with online shopping scams topping the list for the sixth consecutive year, followed by phishing and employment scams. Scammers are increasingly using sophisticated tactics including AI and deepfake technology to impersonate legitimate businesses and create fake job interviews, while exploiting emotional triggers like excitement or fear to pressure victims into quick purchases or money transfers via gift cards, wire transfers, or bank accounts. The Better Business Bureau urges anyone encountering a scam to report it to BBB ScamTracker regardless of financial loss, and advises the public to watch for red flags such as requests for immediate payment and pressure to act quickly.

An elderly woman in Palos Hills, Illinois lost $788,000 of her life savings to scammers who contacted her by phone and manipulated her through multiple calls involving Bitcoin, cashier's checks, and gold purchases. Senior citizens aged 60 and older lost nearly $4.9 billion to various fraud schemes in 2024—a 46% increase from the previous year—making older Americans a primary target for criminals exploiting their vulnerability. To protect yourself or elderly relatives, be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, never share personal financial information with callers, and report suspected fraud to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center or local law enforcement rather than handling it alone.

Illinois residents are receiving fraudulent text messages claiming they owe money for tolls or traffic violations and threatening to suspend their vehicle registration or driving privileges if they don't click a link—these are phishing scams designed to steal personal information and money. According to Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias, the legitimate government office will never contact residents by text about license or registration issues, only to confirm DMV appointments. If you receive one of these scam messages, ignore it and report it to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov to help protect yourself and others.

The St. Louis Consumer Fraud Task Force warns that scammers are exploiting digital payment methods, which offer less consumer protection than credit cards and function like handing over cash directly. Common scams include fake online sellers advertising deals on social media, impersonators posing as government agencies demanding payment, and fraudulent sellers who never deliver products—with one Illinois woman losing $330 to a fake weight loss medicine scheme. To protect yourself, research sellers before making purchases, remember that government agencies never demand payment via phone or text, and understand how digital payment apps work before using them.

Scammers are sending deceptive text messages across Illinois claiming residents owe money for tolls or traffic violations and threatening license suspension to pressure them into clicking malicious links and revealing personal information. The Illinois Secretary of State's Office clarified that they never contact people by text about license or registration issues, so any such messages are fraudulent. If you receive these scam texts, ignore them and report them to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov rather than clicking any links or providing information.

A 42-year-old Effingham, Illinois man named Edward Stief was sentenced to 12 years in prison for stealing over $400,000 from an 89-year-old victim through financial exploitation. Stief befriended the elderly man, convinced him to grant Power of Attorney status, and then coerced him into cashing out life insurance policies and draining his life savings while also isolating him from nursing home care. Seniors and their families should be cautious about granting Power of Attorney to anyone they haven't thoroughly vetted, monitor financial accounts regularly, and report suspicious activity to authorities immediately.

A 27-year-old California man has been sentenced to two years in prison after scamming an Illinois resident out of $40,000 through an impersonation scheme. The scammer contacted a rural Barry resident claiming his Social Security number was compromised and that he needed to pay a "federal officer" $40,000 in cash, then showed up at the victim's home to collect the money in person. To protect yourself from similar scams, be wary of unsolicited messages about account issues, remember that legitimate law enforcement will never demand cash payments at your door, and contact local authorities immediately if you're targeted.

A 38-year-old man from Illinois was sentenced to over seven years in prison for targeting elderly women in Missouri and Illinois with elaborate scams, including fake identity theft and computer security alerts that tricked victims into sending large sums of cash. Patel's victims—11 identified across five states—lost a combined amount exceeding $2 million, with individual losses ranging from $50,000 to $148,000. To protect yourself, be skeptical of unsolicited alerts about identity theft or account compromise, never send cash to unknown parties, and verify callers' identities by contacting official agencies directly using phone numbers from their official websites rather than numbers provided by the caller.

The Justice Department filed a civil forfeiture complaint against $868,247 in Tether cryptocurrency that was allegedly stolen through investment scams operated by the LME Crypto Group, which impersonated the London Metal Exchange and defrauded at least four victims across DC, Texas, Illinois, and Florida between September 2022 and February 2025. The scheme involved criminals establishing trust through misdirected text messages, then directing victims to fake investment platforms that displayed false profits before locking victims out of their accounts and stealing their funds, with one victim losing $1.3 million and another losing $30,000. The FBI recovered and is forfeiting the laundered cryptocurrency funds that were transferred through

Chicago residents identified online fraud as a major concern, with 90 percent of survey respondents rating protection from it as "important" or "very important." The Federal Trade Commission received 2.6 million fraud reports in 2024 resulting in $12.5 billion in losses, with Illinois accounting for over 186,000 fraud reports, and the article provides expert guidance on identifying, avoiding, and responding to various types of fraud including account fraud, non-delivery scams, and impersonation schemes.

Edward L. Stief, Jr., a 42-year-old from Effingham County, Illinois, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, mail fraud, and unlawful monetary transactions after exploiting an elderly victim out of approximately $338,773. Stief gained the victim's trust by offering lawn care services, then convinced him to grant financial and healthcare power of attorney, subsequently withdrawing life insurance funds, stealing valuables including gold coins and jewelry, and coercing him to leave a nursing home for inadequate care. He faces up to 20 years imprisonment for the fraud convictions and up to 10 years for the monetary transaction charge at his December 2 sentencing hearing.

Illinois Governor Pritzker signed two bills in August 2025 to protect consumers from cryptocurrency fraud: the Digital Assets and Consumer Protection Act (SB1797) and the Digital Asset Kiosk Act (SB2319). Illinois residents lost $272 million to cryptocurrency fraud in 2024, making it the most common type of financial fraud that year; the new legislation establishes state regulatory oversight of digital asset exchanges, requires kiosk operators to register and provide full refunds to scam victims, and caps transaction fees at 18% with daily limits for new customers.

An elderly Barry, Illinois resident lost $40,000 in a sophisticated impersonation scam after receiving a fake Apple Pay alert claiming his Social Security number was compromised and a federal officer would collect payment at his home. A 27-year-old California man, Akhmet Kuzgov, arrived at the victim's residence and collected the cash before demanding an additional $40,000, leading to his arrest on charges of Theft Over $10,000 and a federal Homeland Security warrant. Authorities believe this represents a newer, more dangerous trend involving international crime rings conducting in-person fraud targeting small communities, with a similar prevented incident occurring nearby when a bank alerted a family member

The Central Illinois Better Business Bureau warned of rental scams targeting college students, noting that 60 Illinois residents fell victim to renter fraud in the past year. Scammers commonly steal property photos and descriptions to collect security deposits and rent from unsuspecting renters. The BBB recommends verifying listings through reverse image searches, researching landlords and properties via county records, touring apartments in person, and reviewing leases before signing, while warning of fake financial aid text messages as well.

A Chicago couple, Iris Smith and Dedric Vaughn, lost over $180,000 to FlyGirl World Travel LLC, a travel agency owned by Laticha Douglas, after hiring her to coordinate their July destination wedding; guests paid Douglas directly for travel and lodging that never materialized, with only 2% receiving refunds and the couple forced to cancel the wedding entirely. The FBI's Chicago Field Office is investigating the scam and seeking additional victims, while the Illinois Attorney General's Office is also mediating multiple complaints against the business, which has been listed as "not in good standing" and faces automatic dissolution if it fails to file required reports by January 2026.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Illinois partnered with the Sparta Senior Center to present a free fraud prevention seminar educating seniors on online and phone scams, including impersonation schemes where fraudsters pose as federal agents to steal money. The presentation, held on August 20, covered common fraud schemes targeting seniors, details on prosecuted federal cases, and practical tips for detecting scams and reporting suspected fraud to law enforcement.

A 42-year-old Chinese national, Zhigang Lian, was indicted for allegedly orchestrating an imposter scam that defrauded a 76-year-old Belleville, Illinois resident of over $70,000. The scheme began with a fake Apple text message, then escalated when scammers posing as federal agents convinced the victim their identity had been stolen and they needed to withdraw all their bank funds for protection; the victim handed over $25,000 on June 17 and $45,000 on July 1 before Lian's arrest by Illinois State Police. Lian faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, each carrying

A 36-year-old Canadian man, Jia Liu, was arrested on July 2 at Louisville's Muhammad Ali International Airport for defrauding elderly people across multiple states. Liu targeted an elderly man in Charlestown who withdrew $27,000 from his retirement account in May, and investigators linked him to at least five additional victims in Indiana, Ohio, New Mexico, and Tennessee, with total losses exceeding $309,000. Liu faces charges including theft, fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering, and authorities are seeking additional victims who may be in Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Illinois, Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee.

State Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel and other Illinois elected officials hosted a fraud prevention seminar for seniors to educate them about common scams and financial exploitation tactics. The program covered protection strategies against scams, fraud, identity theft, and phone spoofing, with a presentation from the Illinois Attorney General's Office included.

Tens of thousands of Americans have lost significant sums investing in fraudulent Chinese stocks promoted through fake financial reports, false influencer endorsements, and fabricated news stories on social media platforms like Reddit and TikTok. Notable victims include a Texas investor who lost over $40,000, a Florida teacher who lost her entire retirement savings to a nonexistent company, and an Illinois man who lost his children's college fund. To protect yourself, avoid "secret tips" promising high returns, verify information through trusted sources like the SEC and Bloomberg rather than social media, and be skeptical of hype-driven investment promotion.

State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel hosted a senior fraud prevention seminar in Bolingbrook, Illinois on July 8 to educate older adults about common scams and financial exploitation tactics. The free two-hour event, held in partnership with local officials and the chamber of commerce, featured presentations on protecting against scams, identity theft, phone spoofing, and fraudulent businesses, including a representative from the Illinois Attorney General's office.

33-year-old Ridwan Adeleke Adepoju, a Nigerian scam mastermind, was captured in the UK and extradited to the United States, where he pleaded guilty to operating a years-long fraud scheme involving phishing scams, romance scams, and fraudulent tax returns targeting multiple victims. He was sentenced to 3.5 years in federal prison by a U.S. judge in the Northern District of Illinois.

Senator Dick Durbin testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on elder fraud, reporting that Americans aged 60 and older lost nearly $4.9 billion to fraud in the prior year, with average losses of $83,000, representing a 43 percent increase year-over-year. He highlighted the particular threat of cryptocurrency ATM scams, which caused nearly $247 million in losses in 2024, a 31 percent increase, with one case involving an elderly Illinois woman losing her entire $40,000 life savings. Durbin introduced the Crypto ATM Fraud Prevention Act to require operators to register with regulators, display scam warnings, implement transaction limits, and ref

**Summary:** An Evanston, Illinois woman lost approximately $62,000 to a scammer impersonating Kevin Costner over six months, sending gift cards via Telegram after being convinced the funds would be invested in cryptocurrency. The victim is unlikely to recover her money, as gift card purchases cannot typically be reversed, and police stated an arrest is highly unlikely. This represents part of a growing trend of celebrity impersonation scams, including a similar $350,000 case involving someone posing as Vince Gill, which the Federal Trade Commission has warned the public about since 2018.

AARP Illinois is offering a free two-part virtual educational series called "Fraud Watch 101" scheduled for June 23rd and 27th to help older adults recognize and avoid scams. The program covers common fraud tactics, emerging threats like cryptocurrency scams, red flags in suspicious communications, and psychological manipulation techniques used by fraudsters. This is an awareness and educational initiative designed to equip seniors and their families with knowledge to protect themselves from fraud.

An Evanston, Illinois woman lost $62,000 over six months to a Kevin Costner impersonator on Telegram who claimed to be offering cryptocurrency investment returns through gift card payments. The scammer, part of an ongoing cryptocurrency fraud ring active since at least 2018, never returned any funds, and police indicated arrest is unlikely due to the crime's nature. The FTC advises potential victims to verify celebrity identities through Google searches, consult trusted contacts before sending money, and avoid gift cards, which offer minimal buyer protections and are largely irreversible.

An Evanston, Illinois woman lost $62,000 in a cryptocurrency investment scam after spending six months communicating with someone impersonating Yellowstone actor Kevin Costner on Telegram, who convinced her that gift card purchases would generate cryptocurrency profits. The scam was confirmed to be part of a long-running cryptocurrency ring active since at least 2018, with police stating that arrest and fund recovery are unlikely. The FTC advises verifying celebrity identities through research, consulting trusted sources before sending money, and reporting fraud to both financial institutions and authorities.

Scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, particularly through phishing and spear phishing techniques where fraudsters impersonate legitimate businesses via email, phone, or text to create urgency and pressure victims into sending money via gift cards or cryptocurrency. Crime Prevention Specialist Julie Smith recommends pausing when receiving suspicious communications, independently verifying through official channels, avoiding clicking links, and not hesitating to end the conversation with potential scammers. Common impersonated organizations include Microsoft, Amazon, Social Security, PayPal, and Illinois Tollway/IPASS.

State Departments of Transportation in Idaho, Iowa, and Wisconsin issued warnings about phishing text scams impersonating state agencies and demanding payment for unpaid tolls or traffic violations, with threats of legal action. The scams have already targeted Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey, Georgia, and New York, and are becoming more sophisticated by using fear tactics to trick victims into clicking malicious links or sharing personal information. State agencies advise recipients to ignore urgency demands, avoid clicking links or sharing information, block senders, and report scams to the FTC or Internet Crime Complaint Center.

DMV text message scams, known as "smishing," are expanding across multiple states including Colorado, Indiana, Minnesota, California, Michigan, and North Carolina, with earlier warnings issued in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey, Georgia, and New York. These fraudulent texts falsely claim recipients have unpaid traffic tickets or outstanding bills and threaten consequences like vehicle registration loss, driving privilege suspension, or credit score damage unless they click a link and pay. The Federal Trade Commission advises recipients not to click links or respond, instead contacting their state DMV directly through official channels and reporting the messages to their wireless provider, the FTC, and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Police are warning the public about a widespread DMV text message scam that threatens to suspend vehicle registration unless victims click malicious links and pay fake fines, with reports across multiple states including Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, and New Jersey. The scam is part of a broader wave of "smishing" (SMS phishing) attacks designed to steal personal and financial information by creating panic and prompting immediate action. To protect yourself, do not click links in unsolicited DMV texts, report suspicious messages to the FTC and your wireless provider, and verify any requests directly through your state's official DMV website or phone number.

Scammers in Wisconsin are impersonating the Wisconsin Department of Transportation DMV by sending text messages claiming unpaid traffic violations or final notices, attempting to trick recipients into revealing personal information or clicking malicious links. The Wisconsin DMV received a large volume of complaints on June 2 and noted similar scams had recently targeted Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey, Georgia, and New York. The DMV advises residents not to respond to unsolicited texts, avoid clicking links, and warns to be suspicious of communications requesting money or creating urgency.

A new scam targeting drivers claims they owe money for unpaid traffic tickets via text message, threatening suspension of driving privileges if payment is not made immediately. Motor vehicle departments across multiple states, including Ohio, Illinois, and New Jersey, have issued warnings that they never send unsolicited texts demanding payment for tolls or tickets. Consumers are advised to delete such messages without clicking links and to contact state agencies directly using official phone numbers if they need to verify any legitimate traffic violations.

Nirav B. Patel, a 44-year-old illegal immigrant from India, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for his role in an imposter scam that defrauded elderly victims across Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana of over $400,000. Patel served as a cash collector for the scheme, which involved fraudsters posing as federal agents and convincing elderly victims that their accounts were compromised, then pressuring them to withdraw life savings into fake government trust accounts; in one instance, he collected $177,000 in gold bars from an elderly woman using a walker at an assisted living facility. The scammers, based in India, use

Police across multiple states including Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, and New Jersey are warning of a DMV text scam impersonating the Department of Motor Vehicles and threatening to suspend vehicle registration unless victims click malicious links to pay alleged fines immediately. The scam is designed to steal personal and financial information by creating panic and urgency. Authorities recommend not clicking links or responding to such messages, instead reporting them to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov, contacting your state DMV directly through official channels, and forwarding suspicious texts to 7726 (SPAM) to help wireless providers block similar messages.

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias warned residents about phishing text messages falsely claiming to be from the state's DMV, which threaten to suspend vehicle registration and driving privileges while attempting to extract personal or financial information. The official clarified that legitimate DMV communications via text are limited to appointment reminders, and urged residents to report suspicious messages to the Federal Trade Commission.

Illinois state representatives are preparing to vote on SB 2319, the Digital Asset Kiosk Act, which would establish protections against cryptocurrency ATM fraud. In 2024, crypto scams resulted in $5.7 billion in losses nationally, with adults in their 60s accounting for $1.18 billion of that theft; the proposed legislation would implement registration requirements, disclosures, and transaction limits to safeguard consumers from these schemes.

A St. Louis man, Alen Saric, was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for his role in a vehicle sale scam that defrauded victims across four Illinois counties from 2018 to 2023 using fake cashier's checks to purchase vehicles on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, with the scheme totaling $1.7 million and involving the theft and resale of vehicles before victims discovered the fraud. The case highlights growing concerns about elder fraud, with financial institutions urging seniors to verify cashier's checks directly with banks, avoid acting under pressure, and consult trusted individuals before completing transactions with strangers online.

Katie Walsh of the Cook County Sheriff's Office warned senior citizens about the "grandparent scam," in which callers impersonate distressed relatives claiming to need emergency money and demand secrecy to prevent rational intervention. Walsh identified multiple scam types targeting people of all ages—including IRS impersonation, romance scams, and fake charities—noting that seniors are vulnerable not due to lack of intelligence but because emotional manipulation disrupts rational thinking. She advised victims to hang up before sharing information, consult trusted contacts, report to police and the Federal Trade Commission, and contact Illinois Adult Protective Services if needed, while emphasizing that recovery options are limited.

Over 75 seniors and family members attended a Fraud and Scam Prevention Seminar in Chicago on May 6, presented by JPMorgan Chase, the Chicago Police Department, and Chicago Commons, to learn protective strategies against financial fraud targeting older Americans. Illinois residents lost over $324 million to scams in the previous year, with seniors remaining highly vulnerable, and the event educated participants on common tactics including romance fraud, fake IRS calls, tech support scams, and impersonation schemes using the "Four Ps" framework (Pretend, Problem/Prize, Payment, Pressure). Attendees received practical guidance on fraud prevention, including setting up account alerts, using unique passwords, enabling

The City of Aurora is hosting a free educational workshop on May 15 to help seniors, families, and caregivers identify and prevent scams, featuring presentations from local officials including Kane County State's Attorney Jamie Mosser. According to the city, fraud targeting seniors is increasing, with older adults in Illinois losing nearly $76 million to fraud in 2023 alone.

The U.S. Attorney's Office partnered with the Du Quoin Public Library to host a free fraud prevention seminar on May 15 aimed at educating seniors about the latest online and phone scams targeting them. The presentation covered online scams, fraud schemes specific to seniors, and federal prosecutions in Southern Illinois, while providing attendees with detection tips and guidance on contacting law enforcement if victimized.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for Southern Illinois partnered with the Du Quoin Public Library to host a fraud prevention seminar educating seniors on common scams targeting them via phone, text, email, and online platforms, including schemes where fraudsters impersonate federal agents to extort money. Prosecutors from the Southern District of Illinois presented information on fraud schemes, federal cases, and tips for detecting scams, noting that local scammers have previously defrauded seniors in the region of substantial portions of their life savings.

This article is not relevant to the Elderus database. It describes a local Chamber of Commerce luncheon event in Herrin, Illinois, and contains no information about fraud, scams, elder abuse, or related topics.

Illinois Senate Bill 1551 passed the Senate 38-17, allowing financial advisors and qualified professionals to delay suspicious transactions and report suspected elder financial exploitation to state authorities while providing them liability protection if acting in good faith. The legislation aims to strengthen senior protections amid rising elder fraud, with the FBI reporting over $3.4 billion in losses to elder fraud victims in 2023 alone. The bill now moves to the Illinois House for consideration.