Illinois General Assembly

  Bills & Resolutions  
  Compiled Statutes  
  Public Acts  
  Legislative Reports  
  IL Constitution  
  Legislative Guide  
  Legislative Glossary  

 Search By Number
 (example: HB0001)
Search Tips

Search By Keyword

Illinois Compiled Statutes

Information maintained by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Updating the database of the Illinois Compiled Statutes (ILCS) is an ongoing process. Recent laws may not yet be included in the ILCS database, but they are found on this site as Public Acts soon after they become law. For information concerning the relationship between statutes and Public Acts, refer to the Guide.

Because the statute database is maintained primarily for legislative drafting purposes, statutory changes are sometimes included in the statute database before they take effect. If the source note at the end of a Section of the statutes includes a Public Act that has not yet taken effect, the version of the law that is currently in effect may have already been removed from the database and you should refer to that Public Act to see the changes made to the current law.


()

720 ILCS 5/Art. 16, Subdiv. 15

 
    (720 ILCS 5/Art. 16, Subdiv. 15 heading)
SUBDIVISION 15. IDENTITY THEFT
(Source: P.A. 97-597, eff. 1-1-12.)

720 ILCS 5/16-30

    (720 ILCS 5/16-30)
    Sec. 16-30. Identity theft; aggravated identity theft.
    (a) A person commits identity theft when he or she knowingly:
        (1) uses any personal identifying information or
    
personal identification document of another person to fraudulently obtain credit, money, goods, services, or other property;
        (2) uses any personal identifying information or
    
personal identification document of another with intent to commit any felony not set forth in paragraph (1) of this subsection (a);
        (3) obtains, records, possesses, sells, transfers,
    
purchases, or manufactures any personal identifying information or personal identification document of another with intent to commit any felony;
        (4) uses, obtains, records, possesses, sells,
    
transfers, purchases, or manufactures any personal identifying information or personal identification document of another knowing that such personal identifying information or personal identification documents were stolen or produced without lawful authority;
        (5) uses, transfers, or possesses document-making
    
implements to produce false identification or false documents with knowledge that they will be used by the person or another to commit any felony;
        (6) uses any personal identifying information or
    
personal identification document of another to portray himself or herself as that person, or otherwise, for the purpose of gaining access to any personal identifying information or personal identification document of that person, without the prior express permission of that person;
        (7) uses any personal identifying information or
    
personal identification document of another for the purpose of gaining access to any record of the actions taken, communications made or received, or other activities or transactions of that person, without the prior express permission of that person;
        (7.5) uses, possesses, or transfers a radio
    
frequency identification device capable of obtaining or processing personal identifying information from a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag or transponder with knowledge that the device will be used by the person or another to commit a felony violation of State law or any violation of this Article; or
        (8) in the course of applying for a building permit
    
with a unit of local government, provides the license number of a roofing or fire sprinkler contractor whom he or she does not intend to have perform the work on the roofing or fire sprinkler portion of the project; it is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this paragraph (8) that the building permit applicant promptly informed the unit of local government that issued the building permit of any change in the roofing or fire sprinkler contractor.
    (b) Aggravated identity theft. A person commits aggravated identity theft when he or she commits identity theft as set forth in subsection (a) of this Section:
        (1) against a person 60 years of age or older or a
    
person with a disability; or
        (2) in furtherance of the activities of an organized
    
gang.
    A defense to aggravated identity theft does not exist merely because the accused reasonably believed the victim to be a person less than 60 years of age. For the purposes of this subsection, "organized gang" has the meaning ascribed in Section 10 of the Illinois Streetgang Terrorism Omnibus Prevention Act.
    (c) Knowledge shall be determined by an evaluation of all circumstances surrounding the use of the other person's identifying information or document.
    (d) When a charge of identity theft or aggravated identity theft of credit, money, goods, services, or other property exceeding a specified value is brought, the value of the credit, money, goods, services, or other property is an element of the offense to be resolved by the trier of fact as either exceeding or not exceeding the specified value.
    (e) Sentence.
        (1) Identity theft.
            (A) A person convicted of identity theft in
        
violation of paragraph (1) of subsection (a) shall be sentenced as follows:
                (i) Identity theft of credit, money, goods,
            
services, or other property not exceeding $300 in value is a Class 4 felony. A person who has been previously convicted of identity theft of less than $300 who is convicted of a second or subsequent offense of identity theft of less than $300 is guilty of a Class 3 felony. A person who has been convicted of identity theft of less than $300 who has been previously convicted of any type of theft, robbery, armed robbery, burglary, residential burglary, possession of burglary tools, home invasion, home repair fraud, aggravated home repair fraud, or financial exploitation of an elderly person or person with a disability is guilty of a Class 3 felony. Identity theft of credit, money, goods, services, or other property not exceeding $300 in value when the victim of the identity theft is an active duty member of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of the United States or of the Illinois National Guard serving in a foreign country is a Class 3 felony. A person who has been previously convicted of identity theft of less than $300 who is convicted of a second or subsequent offense of identity theft of less than $300 when the victim of the identity theft is an active duty member of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of the United States or of the Illinois National Guard serving in a foreign country is guilty of a Class 2 felony. A person who has been convicted of identity theft of less than $300 when the victim of the identity theft is an active duty member of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of the United States or of the Illinois National Guard serving in a foreign country who has been previously convicted of any type of theft, robbery, armed robbery, burglary, residential burglary, possession of burglary tools, home invasion, home repair fraud, aggravated home repair fraud, or financial exploitation of an elderly person or person with a disability is guilty of a Class 2 felony.
                (ii) Identity theft of credit, money, goods,
            
services, or other property exceeding $300 and not exceeding $2,000 in value is a Class 3 felony. Identity theft of credit, money, goods, services, or other property exceeding $300 and not exceeding $2,000 in value when the victim of the identity theft is an active duty member of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of the United States or of the Illinois National Guard serving in a foreign country is a Class 2 felony.
                (iii) Identity theft of credit, money, goods,
            
services, or other property exceeding $2,000 and not exceeding $10,000 in value is a Class 2 felony. Identity theft of credit, money, goods, services, or other property exceeding $2,000 and not exceeding $10,000 in value when the victim of the identity theft is an active duty member of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of the United States or of the Illinois National Guard serving in a foreign country is a Class 1 felony.
                (iv) Identity theft of credit, money, goods,
            
services, or other property exceeding $10,000 and not exceeding $100,000 in value is a Class 1 felony. Identity theft of credit, money, goods, services, or other property exceeding $10,000 and not exceeding $100,000 in value when the victim of the identity theft is an active duty member of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of the United States or of the Illinois National Guard serving in a foreign country is a Class X felony.
                (v) Identity theft of credit, money, goods,
            
services, or other property exceeding $100,000 in value is a Class X felony.
            (B) A person convicted of any offense enumerated
        
in paragraphs (2) through (7.5) of subsection (a) is guilty of a Class 3 felony. A person convicted of any offense enumerated in paragraphs (2) through (7.5) of subsection (a) when the victim of the identity theft is an active duty member of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of the United States or of the Illinois National Guard serving in a foreign country is guilty of a Class 2 felony.
            (C) A person convicted of any offense enumerated
        
in paragraphs (2) through (5) and (7.5) of subsection (a) a second or subsequent time is guilty of a Class 2 felony. A person convicted of any offense enumerated in paragraphs (2) through (5) and (7.5) of subsection (a) a second or subsequent time when the victim of the identity theft is an active duty member of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of the United States or of the Illinois National Guard serving in a foreign country is guilty of a Class 1 felony.
            (D) A person who, within a 12-month period, is
        
found in violation of any offense enumerated in paragraphs (2) through (7.5) of subsection (a) with respect to the identifiers of, or other information relating to, 3 or more separate individuals, at the same time or consecutively, is guilty of a Class 2 felony. A person who, within a 12-month period, is found in violation of any offense enumerated in paragraphs (2) through (7.5) of subsection (a) with respect to the identifiers of, or other information relating to, 3 or more separate individuals, at the same time or consecutively, when the victim of the identity theft is an active duty member of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of the United States or of the Illinois National Guard serving in a foreign country is guilty of a Class 1 felony.
            (E) A person convicted of identity theft in
        
violation of paragraph (2) of subsection (a) who uses any personal identifying information or personal identification document of another to purchase methamphetamine manufacturing material as defined in Section 10 of the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act with the intent to unlawfully manufacture methamphetamine is guilty of a Class 2 felony for a first offense and a Class 1 felony for a second or subsequent offense. A person convicted of identity theft in violation of paragraph (2) of subsection (a) who uses any personal identifying information or personal identification document of another to purchase methamphetamine manufacturing material as defined in Section 10 of the Methamphetamine Control and Community Protection Act with the intent to unlawfully manufacture methamphetamine when the victim of the identity theft is an active duty member of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of the United States or of the Illinois National Guard serving in a foreign country is guilty of a Class 1 felony for a first offense and a Class X felony for a second or subsequent offense.
            (F) A person convicted of identity theft in
        
violation of paragraph (8) of subsection (a) of this Section is guilty of a Class 4 felony.
        (2) Aggravated identity theft.
            (A) Aggravated identity theft of credit, money,
        
goods, services, or other property not exceeding $300 in value is a Class 3 felony.
            (B) Aggravated identity theft of credit, money,
        
goods, services, or other property exceeding $300 and not exceeding $10,000 in value is a Class 2 felony.
            (C) Aggravated identity theft of credit, money,
        
goods, services, or other property exceeding $10,000 in value and not exceeding $100,000 in value is a Class 1 felony.
            (D) Aggravated identity theft of credit, money,
        
goods, services, or other property exceeding $100,000 in value is a Class X felony.
            (E) Aggravated identity theft for a violation of
        
any offense enumerated in paragraphs (2) through (7.5) of subsection (a) of this Section is a Class 2 felony.
            (F) Aggravated identity theft when a person who,
        
within a 12-month period, is found in violation of any offense enumerated in paragraphs (2) through (7.5) of subsection (a) of this Section with identifiers of, or other information relating to, 3 or more separate individuals, at the same time or consecutively, is a Class 1 felony.
            (G) A person who has been previously convicted of
        
aggravated identity theft regardless of the value of the property involved who is convicted of a second or subsequent offense of aggravated identity theft regardless of the value of the property involved is guilty of a Class X felony.
(Source: P.A. 101-324, eff. 1-1-20.)

720 ILCS 5/16-31

    (720 ILCS 5/16-31)
    Sec. 16-31. Transmission of personal identifying information.
    (a) A person commits transmission of personal identifying information if he or she is not a party to a transaction that involves the use of a financial transaction device and knowingly: (i) secretly or surreptitiously photographs, or otherwise captures or records, electronically or by any other means, personal identifying information from the transaction without the consent of the person whose information is photographed or otherwise captured, recorded, distributed, disseminated, or transmitted, or (ii) distributes, disseminates, or transmits, electronically or by any other means, personal identifying information from the transaction without the consent of the person whose information is photographed, or otherwise captured, recorded, distributed, disseminated, or transmitted.
    (b) This Section does not:
        (1) prohibit the capture or transmission of personal
    
identifying information in the ordinary and lawful course of business;
        (2) apply to a peace officer of this State, or of the
    
federal government, or the officer's agent, while in the lawful performance of the officer's duties;
        (3) prohibit a person from being charged with,
    
convicted of, or punished for any other violation of law committed by that person while violating or attempting to violate this Section.
    (c) Sentence. A person who violates this Section is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor.
(Source: P.A. 97-597, eff. 1-1-12.)

720 ILCS 5/16-32

    (720 ILCS 5/16-32)
    Sec. 16-32. Facilitating identity theft.
    (a) A person commits facilitating identity theft when he or she, in the course of his or her employment or official duties, has access to the personal information of another person in the possession of the State of Illinois, whether written, recorded, or on computer disk, and knowingly, with the intent of committing identity theft, aggravated identity theft, or any violation of the Illinois Financial Crime Law, disposes of that written, recorded, or computerized information in any receptacle, trash can, or other container that the public could gain access to, without shredding that information, destroying the recording, or wiping the computer disk so that the information is either unintelligible or destroyed.
    (b) Sentence. Facilitating identity theft is a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class 4 felony for a second or subsequent offense.
    (c) For purposes of this Section, "personal information" has the meaning provided in the Personal Information Protection Act.
(Source: P.A. 97-597, eff. 1-1-12.)

720 ILCS 5/16-33

    (720 ILCS 5/16-33)
    Sec. 16-33. Civil remedies. A person who is convicted of facilitating identity theft, identity theft, or aggravated identity theft is liable in a civil action to the person who suffered damages as a result of the violation. The person suffering damages may recover court costs, attorney's fees, lost wages, and actual damages. Where a person has been convicted of identity theft in violation of subdivision (a)(6) or subdivision (a)(7) of Section 16-30, in the absence of proof of actual damages, the person whose personal identification information or personal identification documents were used in the violation in question may recover damages of $2,000.
(Source: P.A. 97-597, eff. 1-1-12.)

720 ILCS 5/16-34

    (720 ILCS 5/16-34)
    Sec. 16-34. Offender's interest in the property; consent.
    (a) It is no defense to a charge of aggravated identity theft or identity theft that the offender has an interest in the credit, money, goods, services, or other property.
    (b) It is no defense to a charge of aggravated identity theft or identity theft that the offender received the consent of any person to access any personal identification information or personal identification document, other than the person described by the personal identification information or personal identification document used by the offender.
(Source: P.A. 97-597, eff. 1-1-12.)

720 ILCS 5/16-35

    (720 ILCS 5/16-35)
    Sec. 16-35. Mandating law enforcement agencies to accept and provide reports; judicial factual determination.
    (a) A person who has learned or reasonably suspects that his or her personal identifying information has been unlawfully used by another may initiate a law enforcement investigation by contacting the local law enforcement agency that has jurisdiction over his or her actual residence, which shall take a police report of the matter, provide the complainant with a copy of that report, and begin an investigation of the facts, or, if the suspected crime was committed in a different jurisdiction, refer the matter to the law enforcement agency where the suspected crime was committed for an investigation of the facts.
    (b) A person who reasonably believes that he or she is the victim of financial identity theft may petition a court, or upon application of the prosecuting attorney or on its own motion, the court may move for an expedited judicial determination of his or her factual innocence, where the perpetrator of the financial identity theft was arrested for, cited for, or convicted of a crime under the victim's identity, or where a criminal complaint has been filed against the perpetrator in the victim's name, or where the victim's identity has been mistakenly associated with a criminal conviction. Any judicial determination of factual innocence made pursuant to this subsection may be heard and determined upon declarations, affidavits, police reports, or other material, relevant, and reliable information submitted by the parties or ordered to be part of the record by the court. If the court determines that the petition or motion is meritorious and that there is no reasonable cause to believe that the victim committed the offense for which the perpetrator of the identity theft was arrested, cited, convicted, or subject to a criminal complaint in the victim's name, or that the victim's identity has been mistakenly associated with a record of criminal conviction, the court shall find the victim factually innocent of that offense. If the victim is found factually innocent, the court shall issue an order certifying this determination.
    (c) After a court has issued a determination of factual innocence under this Section, the court may order the name and associated personal identifying information contained in the court records, files, and indexes accessible by the public sealed, deleted, or labeled to show that the data is impersonated and does not reflect the defendant's identity.
    (d) A court that has issued a determination of factual innocence under this Section may at any time vacate that determination if the petition, or any information submitted in support of the petition, is found to contain any material misrepresentation or fraud.
    (e) Except for criminal and civil actions provided for by Sections 16-30 through 16-36, or for disciplinary or licensure-related proceedings involving the violation of Sections 16-30 through 16-36, no information acquired by, or as a result of, any violation of Section 16-30 shall be discoverable or admissible in any court or other proceeding, or otherwise subject to disclosure without the express permission of any person or persons identified in that information.
(Source: P.A. 97-597, eff. 1-1-12.)

720 ILCS 5/16-36

    (720 ILCS 5/16-36)
    Sec. 16-36. Venue. In addition to any other venues provided for by statute or otherwise, venue for any criminal prosecution or civil recovery action under Sections 16-30 through 16-36 shall be proper in any county where the person described in the personal identification information or personal identification document in question resides or has his or her principal place of business. Where a criminal prosecution or civil recovery action under Sections 16-30 through 16-36 involves the personal identification information or personal identification documents of more than one person, venue shall be proper in any county where one or more of the persons described in the personal identification information or personal identification documents in question resides or has his or her principal place of business.
(Source: P.A. 97-597, eff. 1-1-12.)

720 ILCS 5/16-37

    (720 ILCS 5/16-37)
    Sec. 16-37. Exemptions; relation to other laws.
    (a) Sections 16-30 through 16-36 do not:
        (1) prohibit the capture or transmission of personal
    
identifying information in the ordinary and lawful course of business;
        (2) apply to a peace officer of this State, or of the
    
federal government, or the officer's agent, while in the lawful performance of the officer's duties;
        (3) prohibit a licensed private detective or licensed
    
private detective agency from representing himself, herself, or itself as another person, provided that he, she, or it may not portray himself, herself, or itself as the person whose information he, she, or it is seeking except as provided under Sections 16-30 through 16-36;
        (4) apply to activities authorized under any other
    
statute.
    (b) No criminal prosecution or civil action brought under Sections 16-30 through 16-36 shall prohibit a person from being charged with, convicted of, or punished for any other violation of law committed by that person while violating or attempting to violate Sections 16-30 through 16-36.
(Source: P.A. 97-597, eff. 1-1-12.)