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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.

CRIMINAL OFFENSES
(720 ILCS 5/) Criminal Code of 2012.

720 ILCS 5/Art. 16K

 
    (720 ILCS 5/Art. 16K heading)
ARTICLE 16K. THEFT OF MOTOR FUEL
(Repealed)
(Source: P.A. 95-331, eff. 8-21-07. Repealed by P.A. 97-597, eff. 1-1-12.)

720 ILCS 5/Art. 17

 
    (720 ILCS 5/Art. 17 heading)
ARTICLE 17. DECEPTION AND FRAUD
(Source: P.A. 96-1551, eff. 7-1-11.)

720 ILCS 5/Art. 17, Subdiv. 1

 
    (720 ILCS 5/Art. 17, Subdiv. 1 heading)
SUBDIVISION 1. GENERAL DEFINITIONS
(Source: P.A. 96-1551, eff. 7-1-11.)

720 ILCS 5/17-0.5

    (720 ILCS 5/17-0.5)
    Sec. 17-0.5. Definitions. In this Article:
    "Altered credit card or debit card" means any instrument or device, whether known as a credit card or debit card, which has been changed in any respect by addition or deletion of any material, except for the signature by the person to whom the card is issued.
    "Cardholder" means the person or organization named on the face of a credit card or debit card to whom or for whose benefit the credit card or debit card is issued by an issuer.
    "Computer" means a device that accepts, processes, stores, retrieves, or outputs data and includes, but is not limited to, auxiliary storage, including cloud-based networks of remote services hosted on the Internet, and telecommunications devices connected to computers.
    "Computer network" means a set of related, remotely connected devices and any communications facilities including more than one computer with the capability to transmit data between them through the communications facilities.
    "Computer program" or "program" means a series of coded instructions or statements in a form acceptable to a computer which causes the computer to process data and supply the results of the data processing.
    "Computer services" means computer time or services, including data processing services, Internet services, electronic mail services, electronic message services, or information or data stored in connection therewith.
    "Counterfeit" means to manufacture, produce or create, by any means, a credit card or debit card without the purported issuer's consent or authorization.
    "Credit card" means any instrument or device, whether known as a credit card, credit plate, charge plate or any other name, issued with or without fee by an issuer for the use of the cardholder in obtaining money, goods, services or anything else of value on credit or in consideration or an undertaking or guaranty by the issuer of the payment of a check drawn by the cardholder.
    "Data" means a representation in any form of information, knowledge, facts, concepts, or instructions, including program documentation, which is prepared or has been prepared in a formalized manner and is stored or processed in or transmitted by a computer or in a system or network. Data is considered property and may be in any form, including, but not limited to, printouts, magnetic or optical storage media, punch cards, or data stored internally in the memory of the computer.
    "Debit card" means any instrument or device, known by any name, issued with or without fee by an issuer for the use of the cardholder in obtaining money, goods, services, and anything else of value, payment of which is made against funds previously deposited by the cardholder. A debit card which also can be used to obtain money, goods, services and anything else of value on credit shall not be considered a debit card when it is being used to obtain money, goods, services or anything else of value on credit.
    "Document" includes, but is not limited to, any document, representation, or image produced manually, electronically, or by computer.
    "Electronic fund transfer terminal" means any machine or device that, when properly activated, will perform any of the following services:
        (1) Dispense money as a debit to the cardholder's
    
account; or
        (2) Print the cardholder's account balances on a
    
statement; or
        (3) Transfer funds between a cardholder's accounts; or
        (4) Accept payments on a cardholder's loan; or
        (5) Dispense cash advances on an open end credit or a
    
revolving charge agreement; or
        (6) Accept deposits to a customer's account; or
        (7) Receive inquiries of verification of checks and
    
dispense information that verifies that funds are available to cover such checks; or
        (8) Cause money to be transferred electronically from
    
a cardholder's account to an account held by any business, firm, retail merchant, corporation, or any other organization.
    "Electronic funds transfer system", hereafter referred to as "EFT System", means that system whereby funds are transferred electronically from a cardholder's account to any other account.
    "Electronic mail service provider" means any person who (i) is an intermediary in sending or receiving electronic mail and (ii) provides to end-users of electronic mail services the ability to send or receive electronic mail.
    "Expired credit card or debit card" means a credit card or debit card which is no longer valid because the term on it has elapsed.
    "False academic degree" means a certificate, diploma, transcript, or other document purporting to be issued by an institution of higher learning or purporting to indicate that a person has completed an organized academic program of study at an institution of higher learning when the person has not completed the organized academic program of study indicated on the certificate, diploma, transcript, or other document.
    "False claim" means any statement made to any insurer, purported insurer, servicing corporation, insurance broker, or insurance agent, or any agent or employee of one of those entities, and made as part of, or in support of, a claim for payment or other benefit under a policy of insurance, or as part of, or in support of, an application for the issuance of, or the rating of, any insurance policy, when the statement does any of the following:
        (1) Contains any false, incomplete, or misleading
    
information concerning any fact or thing material to the claim.
        (2) Conceals (i) the occurrence of an event that is
    
material to any person's initial or continued right or entitlement to any insurance benefit or payment or (ii) the amount of any benefit or payment to which the person is entitled.
    "Financial institution" means any bank, savings and loan association, credit union, or other depository of money or medium of savings and collective investment.
    "Governmental entity" means: each officer, board, commission, and agency created by the Constitution, whether in the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of State government; each officer, department, board, commission, agency, institution, authority, university, and body politic and corporate of the State; each administrative unit or corporate outgrowth of State government that is created by or pursuant to statute, including units of local government and their officers, school districts, and boards of election commissioners; and each administrative unit or corporate outgrowth of the foregoing items and as may be created by executive order of the Governor.
    "Incomplete credit card or debit card" means a credit card or debit card which is missing part of the matter other than the signature of the cardholder which an issuer requires to appear on the credit card or debit card before it can be used by a cardholder, and this includes credit cards or debit cards which have not been stamped, embossed, imprinted or written on.
    "Institution of higher learning" means a public or private college, university, or community college located in the State of Illinois that is authorized by the Board of Higher Education or the Illinois Community College Board to issue post-secondary degrees, or a public or private college, university, or community college located anywhere in the United States that is or has been legally constituted to offer degrees and instruction in its state of origin or incorporation.
    "Insurance company" means "company" as defined under Section 2 of the Illinois Insurance Code.
    "Issuer" means the business organization or financial institution which issues a credit card or debit card, or its duly authorized agent.
    "Merchant" has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 16-0.1 of this Code.
    "Person" means any individual, corporation, government, governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership or association or any other entity.
    "Receives" or "receiving" means acquiring possession or control.
    "Record of charge form" means any document submitted or intended to be submitted to an issuer as evidence of a credit transaction for which the issuer has agreed to reimburse persons providing money, goods, property, services or other things of value.
    "Revoked credit card or debit card" means a credit card or debit card which is no longer valid because permission to use it has been suspended or terminated by the issuer.
    "Sale" means any delivery for value.
    "Scheme or artifice to defraud" includes a scheme or artifice to deprive another of the intangible right to honest services.
    "Self-insured entity" means any person, business, partnership, corporation, or organization that sets aside funds to meet his, her, or its losses or to absorb fluctuations in the amount of loss, the losses being charged against the funds set aside or accumulated.
    "Social networking website" means an Internet website containing profile web pages of the members of the website that include the names or nicknames of such members, photographs placed on the profile web pages by such members, or any other personal or personally identifying information about such members and links to other profile web pages on social networking websites of friends or associates of such members that can be accessed by other members or visitors to the website. A social networking website provides members of or visitors to such website the ability to leave messages or comments on the profile web page that are visible to all or some visitors to the profile web page and may also include a form of electronic mail for members of the social networking website.
    "Statement" means any assertion, oral, written, or otherwise, and includes, but is not limited to: any notice, letter, or memorandum; proof of loss; bill of lading; receipt for payment; invoice, account, or other financial statement; estimate of property damage; bill for services; diagnosis or prognosis; prescription; hospital, medical, or dental chart or other record, x-ray, photograph, videotape, or movie film; test result; other evidence of loss, injury, or expense; computer-generated document; and data in any form.
    "Universal Price Code Label" means a unique symbol that consists of a machine-readable code and human-readable numbers.
    "With intent to defraud" means to act knowingly, and with the specific intent to deceive or cheat, for the purpose of causing financial loss to another or bringing some financial gain to oneself, regardless of whether any person was actually defrauded or deceived. This includes an intent to cause another to assume, create, transfer, alter, or terminate any right, obligation, or power with reference to any person or property.
(Source: P.A. 101-87, eff. 1-1-20.)

720 ILCS 5/Art. 17, Subdiv. 5

 
    (720 ILCS 5/Art. 17, Subdiv. 5 heading)
SUBDIVISION 5. DECEPTION
(Source: P.A. 96-1551, eff. 7-1-11.)

720 ILCS 5/17-1

    (720 ILCS 5/17-1) (from Ch. 38, par. 17-1)
    Sec. 17-1. Deceptive practices.
 
(A) General deception.
    A person commits a deceptive practice when, with intent to defraud, the person does any of the following:
        (1) He or she knowingly causes another, by deception
    
or threat, to execute a document disposing of property or a document by which a pecuniary obligation is incurred.
        (2) Being an officer, manager or other person
    
participating in the direction of a financial institution, he or she knowingly receives or permits the receipt of a deposit or other investment, knowing that the institution is insolvent.
        (3) He or she knowingly makes a false or deceptive
    
statement addressed to the public for the purpose of promoting the sale of property or services.

 
(B) Bad checks.
    A person commits a deceptive practice when:
        (1) With intent to obtain control over property or to
    
pay for property, labor or services of another, or in satisfaction of an obligation for payment of tax under the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act or any other tax due to the State of Illinois, he or she issues or delivers a check or other order upon a real or fictitious depository for the payment of money, knowing that it will not be paid by the depository. The trier of fact may infer that the defendant knows that the check or other order will not be paid by the depository and that the defendant has acted with intent to defraud when the defendant fails to have sufficient funds or credit with the depository when the check or other order is issued or delivered, or when such check or other order is presented for payment and dishonored on each of 2 occasions at least 7 days apart. In this paragraph (B)(1), "property" includes rental property (real or personal).
        (2) He or she issues or delivers a check or other
    
order upon a real or fictitious depository in an amount exceeding $150 in payment of an amount owed on any credit transaction for property, labor or services, or in payment of the entire amount owed on any credit transaction for property, labor or services, knowing that it will not be paid by the depository, and thereafter fails to provide funds or credit with the depository in the face amount of the check or order within 7 days of receiving actual notice from the depository or payee of the dishonor of the check or order.

 
(C) Bank-related fraud.
    (1) False statement.
    A person commits false statement bank fraud if he or she, with intent to defraud, makes or causes to be made any false statement in writing in order to obtain an account with a bank or other financial institution, or to obtain credit from a bank or other financial institution, or to obtain services from a currency exchange, knowing such writing to be false, and with the intent that it be relied upon.
    For purposes of this subsection (C), a false statement means any false statement representing identity, address, or employment, or the identity, address, or employment of any person, firm, or corporation.
    (2) Possession of stolen or fraudulently obtained checks.
    A person commits possession of stolen or fraudulently obtained checks when he or she possesses, with the intent to obtain access to funds of another person held in a real or fictitious deposit account at a financial institution, makes a false statement or a misrepresentation to the financial institution, or possesses, transfers, negotiates, or presents for payment a check, draft, or other item purported to direct the financial institution to withdraw or pay funds out of the account holder's deposit account with knowledge that such possession, transfer, negotiation, or presentment is not authorized by the account holder or the issuing financial institution. A person shall be deemed to have been authorized to possess, transfer, negotiate, or present for payment such item if the person was otherwise entitled by law to withdraw or recover funds from the account in question and followed the requisite procedures under the law. If the account holder, upon discovery of the withdrawal or payment, claims that the withdrawal or payment was not authorized, the financial institution may require the account holder to submit an affidavit to that effect on a form satisfactory to the financial institution before the financial institution may be required to credit the account in an amount equal to the amount or amounts that were withdrawn or paid without authorization.
    (3) Possession of implements of check fraud.
    A person commits possession of implements of check fraud when he or she possesses, with the intent to defraud and without the authority of the account holder or financial institution, any check imprinter, signature imprinter, or "certified" stamp.
 
    (D) Sentence.
        (1) The commission of a deceptive practice in
    
violation of this Section, except as otherwise provided by this subsection (D), is a Class A misdemeanor.
        (2) For purposes of paragraphs (A)(1) and (B)(1):
            (a) The commission of a deceptive practice in
        
violation of paragraph (A)(1) or (B)(1), when the value of the property so obtained, in a single transaction or in separate transactions within a 90-day period, exceeds $150, is a Class 4 felony. In the case of a prosecution for separate transactions totaling more than $150 within a 90-day period, those separate transactions shall be alleged in a single charge and prosecuted in a single prosecution.
            (b) The commission of a deceptive practice in
        
violation of paragraph (B)(1) a second or subsequent time is a Class 4 felony.
        (3) For purposes of paragraph (C)(2), a person who,
    
within any 12-month period, violates paragraph (C)(2) with respect to 3 or more checks or orders for the payment of money at the same time or consecutively, each the property of a different account holder or financial institution, is guilty of a Class 4 felony.
        (4) For purposes of paragraph (C)(3), a person who
    
within any 12-month period violates paragraph (C)(3) as to possession of 3 or more such devices at the same time or consecutively is guilty of a Class 4 felony.

 
    (E) Civil liability. A person who issues a check or order to a payee in violation of paragraph (B)(1) and who fails to pay the amount of the check or order to the payee within 30 days following either delivery and acceptance by the addressee of a written demand both by certified mail and by first class mail to the person's last known address or attempted delivery of a written demand sent both by certified mail and by first class mail to the person's last known address and the demand by certified mail is returned to the sender with a notation that delivery was refused or unclaimed shall be liable to the payee or a person subrogated to the rights of the payee for, in addition to the amount owing upon such check or order, damages of treble the amount so owing, but in no case less than $100 nor more than $1,500, plus attorney's fees and court costs. An action under this subsection (E) may be brought in small claims court or in any other appropriate court. As part of the written demand required by this subsection (E), the plaintiff shall provide written notice to the defendant of the fact that prior to the hearing of any action under this subsection (E), the defendant may tender to the plaintiff and the plaintiff shall accept, as satisfaction of the claim, an amount of money equal to the sum of the amount of the check and the incurred court costs, including the cost of service of process, and attorney's fees.
(Source: P.A. 96-1432, eff. 1-1-11; 96-1551, eff. 7-1-11.)

720 ILCS 5/17-1a

    (720 ILCS 5/17-1a) (from Ch. 38, par. 17-1a)
    Sec. 17-1a. (Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 90-721, eff. 1-1-99. Repealed by P.A. 96-1551, eff. 7-1-11.)

720 ILCS 5/17-1b

    (720 ILCS 5/17-1b)
    Sec. 17-1b. State's Attorney's bad check diversion program.
    (a) In this Section:
    "Offender" means a person charged with, or for whom probable cause exists to charge the person with, deceptive practices.
    "Pretrial diversion" means the decision of a prosecutor to refer an offender to a diversion program on condition that the criminal charges against the offender will be dismissed after a specified period of time, or the case will not be charged, if the offender successfully completes the program.
    "Restitution" means all amounts payable to a victim of deceptive practices under the bad check diversion program created under this Section, including the amount of the check and any transaction fees payable to a victim as set forth in subsection (g) but does not include amounts recoverable under Section 3-806 of the Uniform Commercial Code and subsection (E) of Section 17-1 of this Code.
    (b) A State's Attorney may create within his or her office a bad check diversion program for offenders who agree to voluntarily participate in the program instead of undergoing prosecution. The program may be conducted by the State's Attorney or by a private entity under contract with the State's Attorney. If the State's Attorney contracts with a private entity to perform any services in operating the program, the entity shall operate under the supervision, direction, and control of the State's Attorney. Any private entity providing services under this Section is not a "collection agency" as that term is defined under the Collection Agency Act.
    (c) If an offender is referred to the State's Attorney, the State's Attorney may determine whether the offender is appropriate for acceptance in the program. The State's Attorney may consider, but shall not be limited to consideration of, the following factors:
        (1) the amount of the check that was drawn or passed;
        (2) prior referrals of the offender to the program;
        (3) whether other charges of deceptive practices are
    
pending against the offender;
        (4) the evidence presented to the State's Attorney
    
regarding the facts and circumstances of the incident;
        (5) the offender's criminal history; and
        (6) the reason the check was dishonored by the
    
financial institution.
    (d) The bad check diversion program may require an offender to do one or more of the following:
        (i) pay for, at his or her own expense, and
    
successfully complete an educational class held by the State's Attorney or a private entity under contract with the State's Attorney;
        (ii) make full restitution for the offense;
        (iii) pay a per-check administrative fee as set forth
    
in this Section.
    (e) If an offender is diverted to the program, the State's Attorney shall agree in writing not to prosecute the offender upon the offender's successful completion of the program conditions. The State's Attorney's agreement to divert the offender shall specify the offenses that will not be prosecuted by identifying the checks involved in the transactions.
    (f) The State's Attorney, or private entity under contract with the State's Attorney, may collect a fee from an offender diverted to the State's Attorney's bad check diversion program. This fee may be deposited in a bank account maintained by the State's Attorney for the purpose of depositing fees and paying the expenses of the program or for use in the enforcement and prosecution of criminal laws. The State's Attorney may require that the fee be paid directly to a private entity that administers the program under a contract with the State's Attorney. The amount of the administrative fees collected by the State's Attorney under the program may not exceed $35 per check. The county board may, however, by ordinance, increase the fees allowed by this Section if the increase is justified by an acceptable cost study showing that the fees allowed by this Section are not sufficient to cover the cost of providing the service.
    (g)  (1) The private entity shall be required to maintain
    
adequate general liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence as well as adequate coverage for potential loss resulting from employee dishonesty. The State's Attorney may require a surety bond payable to the State's Attorney if in the State's Attorney's opinion it is determined that the private entity is not adequately insured or funded.
        (2)  (A) Each private entity that has a contract with
        
the State's Attorney to conduct a bad check diversion program shall at all times maintain a separate bank account in which all moneys received from the offenders participating in the program shall be deposited, referred to as a "trust account", except that negotiable instruments received may be forwarded directly to a victim of the deceptive practice committed by the offender if that procedure is provided for by a writing executed by the victim. Moneys received shall be so deposited within 5 business days after posting to the private entity's books of account. There shall be sufficient funds in the trust account at all times to pay the victims the amount due them.
            (B) The trust account shall be established in a
        
financial institution which is federally or State insured or otherwise secured as defined by rule. If the account is interest bearing, the private entity shall pay to the victim interest earned on funds on deposit after the 60th day.
            (C) Each private entity shall keep on file the
        
name of the financial institution in which each trust account is maintained, the name of each trust account, and the names of the persons authorized to withdraw funds from each account. The private entity, within 30 days of the time of a change of depository or person authorized to make withdrawal, shall update its files to reflect that change. An examination and audit of a private entity's trust accounts may be made by the State's Attorney as the State's Attorney deems appropriate. A trust account financial report shall be submitted annually on forms acceptable to the State's Attorney.
        (3) The State's Attorney may cancel a contract
    
entered into with a private entity under this Section for any one or any combination of the following causes:
            (A) Conviction of the private entity or the
        
principals of the private entity of any crime under the laws of any U.S. jurisdiction which is a felony, a misdemeanor an essential element of which is dishonesty, or of any crime which directly relates to the practice of the profession.
            (B) A determination that the private entity has
        
engaged in conduct prohibited in item (4).
        (4) The State's Attorney may determine whether the
    
private entity has engaged in the following prohibited conduct:
            (A) Using or threatening to use force or violence
        
to cause physical harm to an offender, his or her family, or his or her property.
            (B) Threatening the seizure, attachment, or sale
        
of an offender's property where such action can only be taken pursuant to court order without disclosing that prior court proceedings are required.
            (C) Disclosing or threatening to disclose
        
information adversely affecting an offender's reputation for creditworthiness with knowledge the information is false.
            (D) Initiating or threatening to initiate
        
communication with an offender's employer unless there has been a default of the payment of the obligation for at least 30 days and at least 5 days prior written notice, to the last known address of the offender, of the intention to communicate with the employer has been given to the employee, except as expressly permitted by law or court order.
            (E) Communicating with the offender or any member
        
of the offender's family at such a time of day or night and with such frequency as to constitute harassment of the offender or any member of the offender's family. For purposes of this clause (E) the following conduct shall constitute harassment:
                (i) Communicating with the offender or any
            
member of his or her family at any unusual time or place or a time or place known or which should be known to be inconvenient to the offender. In the absence of knowledge of circumstances to the contrary, a private entity shall assume that the convenient time for communicating with a consumer is after 8 o'clock a.m. and before 9 o'clock p.m. local time at the offender's residence.
                (ii) The threat of publication or publication
            
of a list of offenders who allegedly refuse to pay restitution, except by the State's Attorney.
                (iii) The threat of advertisement or
            
advertisement for sale of any restitution to coerce payment of the restitution.
                (iv) Causing a telephone to ring or engaging
            
any person in telephone conversation repeatedly or continuously with intent to annoy, abuse, or harass any person at the called number.
                (v) Using profane, obscene or abusive
            
language in communicating with an offender, his or her family, or others.
                (vi) Disclosing or threatening to disclose
            
information relating to a offender's case to any other person except the victim and appropriate law enforcement personnel.
                (vii) Disclosing or threatening to disclose
            
information concerning the alleged criminal act which the private entity knows to be reasonably disputed by the offender without disclosing the fact that the offender disputes the accusation.
                (viii) Engaging in any conduct which the
            
State's Attorney finds was intended to cause and did cause mental or physical illness to the offender or his or her family.
                (ix) Attempting or threatening to enforce a
            
right or remedy with knowledge or reason to know that the right or remedy does not exist.
                (x) Except as authorized by the State's
            
Attorney, using any form of communication which simulates legal or judicial process or which gives the appearance of being authorized, issued or approved by a governmental agency or official or by an attorney at law when it is not.
                (xi) Using any badge, uniform, or other
            
indicia of any governmental agency or official, except as authorized by law or by the State's Attorney.
                (xii) Except as authorized by the State's
            
Attorney, conducting business under any name or in any manner which suggests or implies that the private entity is bonded if such private entity is or is a branch of or is affiliated with any governmental agency or court if such private entity is not.
                (xiii) Misrepresenting the amount of the
            
restitution alleged to be owed.
                (xiv) Except as authorized by the State's
            
Attorney, representing that an existing restitution amount may be increased by the addition of attorney's fees, investigation fees, or any other fees or charges when those fees or charges may not legally be added to the existing restitution.
                (xv) Except as authorized by the State's
            
Attorney, representing that the private entity is an attorney at law or an agent for an attorney if the entity is not.
                (xvi) Collecting or attempting to collect any
            
interest or other charge or fee in excess of the actual restitution or claim unless the interest or other charge or fee is expressly authorized by the State's Attorney, who shall determine what constitutes a reasonable collection fee.
                (xvii) Communicating or threatening to
            
communicate with an offender when the private entity is informed in writing by an attorney that the attorney represents the offender concerning the claim, unless authorized by the attorney. If the attorney fails to respond within a reasonable period of time, the private entity may communicate with the offender. The private entity may communicate with the offender when the attorney gives his consent.
                (xviii) Engaging in dishonorable, unethical,
            
or unprofessional conduct of a character likely to deceive, defraud, or harm the public.
        (5) The State's Attorney shall audit the accounts of
    
the bad check diversion program after notice in writing to the private entity.
        (6) Any information obtained by a private entity that
    
has a contract with the State's Attorney to conduct a bad check diversion program is confidential information between the State's Attorney and the private entity and may not be sold or used for any other purpose but may be shared with other authorized law enforcement agencies as determined by the State's Attorney.
    (h) The State's Attorney, or private entity under contract with the State's Attorney, shall recover, in addition to the face amount of the dishonored check or draft, a transaction fee to defray the costs and expenses incurred by a victim who received a dishonored check that was made or delivered by the offender. The face amount of the dishonored check or draft and the transaction fee shall be paid by the State's Attorney or private entity under contract with the State's Attorney to the victim as restitution for the offense. The amount of the transaction fee must not exceed: $25 if the face amount of the check or draft does not exceed $100; $30 if the face amount of the check or draft is greater than $100 but does not exceed $250; $35 if the face amount of the check or draft is greater than $250 but does not exceed $500; $40 if the face amount of the check or draft is greater than $500 but does not exceed $1,000; and $50 if the face amount of the check or draft is greater than $1,000.
    (i) The offender, if aggrieved by an action of the private entity contracted to operate a bad check diversion program, may submit a grievance to the State's Attorney who may then resolve the grievance. The private entity must give notice to the offender that the grievance procedure is available. The grievance procedure shall be established by the State's Attorney.
(Source: P.A. 95-41, eff. 1-1-08; 96-1551, eff. 7-1-11.)

720 ILCS 5/17-2

    (720 ILCS 5/17-2) (from Ch. 38, par. 17-2)
    Sec. 17-2. False personation; solicitation.
    (a) False personation; solicitation.
        (1) A person commits a false personation when he or
    
she knowingly and falsely represents himself or herself to be a member or representative of any veterans' or public safety personnel organization or a representative of any charitable organization, or when he or she knowingly exhibits or uses in any manner any decal, badge or insignia of any charitable, public safety personnel, or veterans' organization when not authorized to do so by the charitable, public safety personnel, or veterans' organization. "Public safety personnel organization" has the meaning ascribed to that term in Section 1 of the Solicitation for Charity Act.
        (2) A person commits a false personation when he or
    
she knowingly and falsely represents himself or herself to be a veteran in seeking employment or public office. In this paragraph, "veteran" means a person who has served in the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of the United States.
        (2.1) A person commits a false personation when he or
    
she knowingly and falsely represents himself or herself to be:
            (A) an active-duty member of the Armed Services
        
or Reserve Forces of the United States or the National Guard or a veteran of the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of the United States or the National Guard; and
            (B) obtains money, property, or another tangible
        
benefit through that false representation.
        In this paragraph, "member of the Armed Services or
    
Reserve Forces of the United States" means a member of the United States Navy, Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard; and "veteran" means a person who has served in the Armed Services or Reserve Forces of the United States or the National Guard.
        (2.5) A person commits a false personation when he or
    
she knowingly and falsely represents himself or herself to be:
            (A) another actual person and does an act in such
        
assumed character with intent to intimidate, threaten, injure, defraud, or to obtain a benefit from another; or
            (B) a representative of an actual person or
        
organization and does an act in such false capacity with intent to obtain a benefit or to injure or defraud another.
        (3) No person shall knowingly use the words "Police",
    
"Police Department", "Patrolman", "Sergeant", "Lieutenant", "Peace Officer", "Sheriff's Police", "Sheriff", "Officer", "Law Enforcement", "Trooper", "Deputy", "Deputy Sheriff", "State Police", or any other words to the same effect (i) in the title of any organization, magazine, or other publication without the express approval of the named public safety personnel organization's governing board or (ii) in combination with the name of any state, state agency, public university, or unit of local government without the express written authorization of that state, state agency, public university, or unit of local government.
        (4) No person may knowingly claim or represent that
    
he or she is acting on behalf of any public safety personnel organization when soliciting financial contributions or selling or delivering or offering to sell or deliver any merchandise, goods, services, memberships, or advertisements unless the chief of the police department, fire department, and the corporate or municipal authority thereof, or the sheriff has first entered into a written agreement with the person or with an organization with which the person is affiliated and the agreement permits the activity and specifies and states clearly and fully the purpose for which the proceeds of the solicitation, contribution, or sale will be used.
        (5) No person, when soliciting financial
    
contributions or selling or delivering or offering to sell or deliver any merchandise, goods, services, memberships, or advertisements may claim or represent that he or she is representing or acting on behalf of any nongovernmental organization by any name which includes "officer", "peace officer", "police", "law enforcement", "trooper", "sheriff", "deputy", "deputy sheriff", "State police", or any other word or words which would reasonably be understood to imply that the organization is composed of law enforcement personnel unless:
            (A) the person is actually representing or acting
        
on behalf of the nongovernmental organization;
            (B) the nongovernmental organization is
        
controlled by and governed by a membership of and represents a group or association of active duty peace officers, retired peace officers, or injured peace officers; and
            (C) before commencing the solicitation or the
        
sale or the offers to sell any merchandise, goods, services, memberships, or advertisements, a written contract between the soliciting or selling person and the nongovernmental organization, which specifies and states clearly and fully the purposes for which the proceeds of the solicitation, contribution, or sale will be used, has been entered into.
        (6) No person, when soliciting financial
    
contributions or selling or delivering or offering to sell or deliver any merchandise, goods, services, memberships, or advertisements, may knowingly claim or represent that he or she is representing or acting on behalf of any nongovernmental organization by any name which includes the term "fireman", "fire fighter", "paramedic", or any other word or words which would reasonably be understood to imply that the organization is composed of fire fighter or paramedic personnel unless:
            (A) the person is actually representing or acting
        
on behalf of the nongovernmental organization;
            (B) the nongovernmental organization is
        
controlled by and governed by a membership of and represents a group or association of active duty, retired, or injured fire fighters (for the purposes of this Section, "fire fighter" has the meaning ascribed to that term in Section 2 of the Illinois Fire Protection Training Act) or active duty, retired, or injured emergency medical technicians - ambulance, emergency medical technicians - intermediate, emergency medical technicians - paramedic, ambulance drivers, or other medical assistance or first aid personnel; and
            (C) before commencing the solicitation or the
        
sale or delivery or the offers to sell or deliver any merchandise, goods, services, memberships, or advertisements, the soliciting or selling person and the nongovernmental organization have entered into a written contract that specifies and states clearly and fully the purposes for which the proceeds of the solicitation, contribution, or sale will be used.
        (7) No person may knowingly claim or represent that
    
he or she is an airman, airline employee, airport employee, or contractor at an airport in order to obtain the uniform, identification card, license, or other identification paraphernalia of an airman, airline employee, airport employee, or contractor at an airport.
        (8) No person, firm, copartnership, or corporation
    
(except corporations organized and doing business under the Pawners Societies Act) shall knowingly use a name that contains in it the words "Pawners' Society".
    (b) False personation; public officials and employees. A person commits a false personation if he or she knowingly and falsely represents himself or herself to be any of the following:
        (1) An attorney authorized to practice law for
    
purposes of compensation or consideration. This paragraph (b)(1) does not apply to a person who unintentionally fails to pay attorney registration fees established by Supreme Court Rule.
        (2) A public officer or a public employee or an
    
official or employee of the federal government.
        (2.3) A public officer, a public employee, or an
    
official or employee of the federal government, and the false representation is made in furtherance of the commission of felony.
        (2.7) A public officer or a public employee, and the
    
false representation is for the purpose of effectuating identity theft as defined in Section 16-30 of this Code.
        (3) A peace officer.
        (4) A peace officer while carrying a deadly weapon.
        (5) A peace officer in attempting or committing a
    
felony.
        (6) A peace officer in attempting or committing a
    
forcible felony.
        (7) The parent, legal guardian, or other relation of
    
a minor child to any public official, public employee, or elementary or secondary school employee or administrator.
        (7.5) The legal guardian, including any
    
representative of a State or public guardian, of a person with a disability appointed under Article XIa of the Probate Act of 1975.
        (8) A fire fighter.
        (9) A fire fighter while carrying a deadly weapon.
        (10) A fire fighter in attempting or committing a
    
felony.
        (11) An emergency management worker of any
    
jurisdiction in this State.
        (12) An emergency management worker of any
    
jurisdiction in this State in attempting or committing a felony. For the purposes of this subsection (b), "emergency management worker" has the meaning provided under Section 2-6.6 of this Code.
    (b-5) The trier of fact may infer that a person falsely represents himself or herself to be a public officer or a public employee or an official or employee of the federal government if the person:
        (1) wears or displays without authority any uniform,
    
badge, insignia, or facsimile thereof by which a public officer or public employee or official or employee of the federal government is lawfully distinguished; or
        (2) falsely expresses by word or action that he or
    
she is a public officer or public employee or official or employee of the federal government and is acting with approval or authority of a public agency or department.
    (c) Fraudulent advertisement of a corporate name.
        (1) A company, association, or individual commits
    
fraudulent advertisement of a corporate name if he, she, or it, not being incorporated, puts forth a sign or advertisement and assumes, for the purpose of soliciting business, a corporate name.
        (2) Nothing contained in this subsection (c)
    
prohibits a corporation, company, association, or person from using a divisional designation or trade name in conjunction with its corporate name or assumed name under Section 4.05 of the Business Corporation Act of 1983 or, if it is a member of a partnership or joint venture, from doing partnership or joint venture business under the partnership or joint venture name. The name under which the joint venture or partnership does business may differ from the names of the members. Business may not be conducted or transacted under that joint venture or partnership name, however, unless all provisions of the Assumed Business Name Act have been complied with. Nothing in this subsection (c) permits a foreign corporation to do business in this State without complying with all Illinois laws regulating the doing of business by foreign corporations. No foreign corporation may conduct or transact business in this State as a member of a partnership or joint venture that violates any Illinois law regulating or pertaining to the doing of business by foreign corporations in Illinois.
        (3) The provisions of this subsection (c) do not
    
apply to limited partnerships formed under the Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act or under the Uniform Limited Partnership Act (2001).
    (d) False law enforcement badges.
        (1) A person commits false law enforcement badges if
    
he or she knowingly produces, sells, or distributes a law enforcement badge without the express written consent of the law enforcement agency represented on the badge or, in case of a reorganized or defunct law enforcement agency, its successor law enforcement agency.
        (2) It is a defense to false law enforcement badges
    
that the law enforcement badge is used or is intended to be used exclusively: (i) as a memento or in a collection or exhibit; (ii) for decorative purposes; or (iii) for a dramatic presentation, such as a theatrical, film, or television production.
    (e) False medals.
        (1) A person commits a false personation if he or she
    
knowingly and falsely represents himself or herself to be a recipient of, or wears on his or her person, any of the following medals if that medal was not awarded to that person by the United States Government, irrespective of branch of service: The Congressional Medal of Honor, The Distinguished Service Cross, The Navy Cross, The Air Force Cross, The Silver Star, The Bronze Star, or the Purple Heart.
        (2) It is a defense to a prosecution under paragraph
    
(e)(1) that the medal is used, or is intended to be used, exclusively:
            (A) for a dramatic presentation, such as a
        
theatrical, film, or television production, or a historical re-enactment; or
            (B) for a costume worn, or intended to be worn,
        
by a person under 18 years of age.
    (f) Sentence.
        (1) A violation of paragraph (a)(8) is a petty
    
offense subject to a fine of not less than $5 nor more than $100, and the person, firm, copartnership, or corporation commits an additional petty offense for each day he, she, or it continues to commit the violation. A violation of paragraph (c)(1) is a petty offense, and the company, association, or person commits an additional petty offense for each day he, she, or it continues to commit the violation. A violation of paragraph (a)(2.1) or subsection (e) is a petty offense for which the offender shall be fined at least $100 and not more than $200.
        (2) A violation of paragraph (a)(1), (a)(3), or
    
(b)(7.5) is a Class C misdemeanor.
        (3) A violation of paragraph (a)(2), (a)(2.5),
    
(a)(7), (b)(2), or (b)(7) or subsection (d) is a Class A misdemeanor. A second or subsequent violation of subsection (d) is a Class 3 felony.
        (4) A violation of paragraph (a)(4), (a)(5), (a)(6),
    
(b)(1), (b)(2.3), (b)(2.7), (b)(3), (b)(8), or (b)(11) is a Class 4 felony.
        (5) A violation of paragraph (b)(4), (b)(9), or
    
(b)(12) is a Class 3 felony.
        (6) A violation of paragraph (b)(5) or (b)(10) is a
    
Class 2 felony.
        (7) A violation of paragraph (b)(6) is a Class 1
    
felony.
    (g) A violation of subsection (a)(1) through (a)(7) or subsection (e) of this Section may be accomplished in person or by any means of communication, including but not limited to the use of an Internet website or any form of electronic communication.
(Source: P.A. 99-143, eff. 7-27-15; 99-561, eff. 7-15-16; 100-201, eff. 8-18-17.)

720 ILCS 5/17-2.5

    (720 ILCS 5/17-2.5)
    Sec. 17-2.5. (Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 93-239, eff. 7-22-03. Repealed by P.A. 96-1551, eff. 7-1-11.)

720 ILCS 5/17-3

    (720 ILCS 5/17-3) (from Ch. 38, par. 17-3)
    Sec. 17-3. Forgery.
    (a) A person commits forgery when, with intent to defraud, he or she knowingly:
        (1) makes a false document or alters any document to
    
make it false and that document is apparently capable of defrauding another; or
        (2) issues or delivers such document knowing it to
    
have been thus made or altered; or
        (3) possesses, with intent to issue or deliver, any
    
such document knowing it to have been thus made or altered; or
        (4) unlawfully uses the digital signature, as defined
    
in the Financial Institutions Electronic Documents and Digital Signature Act, of another; or
        (5) unlawfully creates an electronic signature of
    
another person, as that term is defined in the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act.
    (b) (Blank).
    (c) A document apparently capable of defrauding another includes, but is not limited to, one by which any right, obligation or power with reference to any person or property may be created, transferred, altered or terminated. A document includes any record or electronic record as those terms are defined in the Electronic Commerce Security Act. For purposes of this Section, a document also includes a Universal Price Code Label or coin.
    (c-5) For purposes of this Section, "false document" or "document that is false" includes, but is not limited to, a document whose contents are false in some material way, or that purports to have been made by another or at another time, or with different provisions, or by authority of one who did not give such authority.
    (d) Sentence.
        (1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3),
    
forgery is a Class 3 felony.
        (2) Forgery is a Class 4 felony when only one
    
Universal Price Code Label is forged.
        (3) Forgery is a Class A misdemeanor when an academic
    
degree or coin is forged.
    (e) It is not a violation of this Section if a false academic degree explicitly states "for novelty purposes only".
(Source: P.A. 102-38, eff. 6-25-21.)

720 ILCS 5/17-3.5

    (720 ILCS 5/17-3.5)
    Sec. 17-3.5. Deceptive sale of gold or silver.
    (a) Whoever makes for sale, or sells, or offers to sell or dispose of, or has in his or her possession with intent to sell or dispose of, any article or articles construed in whole or in part, of gold or any alloy or imitation thereof, having thereon or on any box, package, cover, wrapper or other thing enclosing or encasing such article or articles for sale, any stamp, brand, engraving, printed label, trade mark, imprint or other mark, indicating or designed, or intended to indicate, that the gold, alloy or imitation thereof, in such article or articles, is different from or better than the actual kind and quality of such gold, alloy or imitation, shall be guilty of a petty offense and shall be fined in any sum not less than $50 nor more than $100.
    (b) Whoever makes for sale, sells or offers to sell or dispose of or has in his or her possession, with intent to sell or dispose of, any article or articles constructed in whole or in part of silver or any alloy or imitation thereof, having thereon--or on any box, package, cover, wrapper or other thing enclosing or encasing such article or articles for sale--any stamp, brand, engraving, printed label, trademark, imprint or other mark, containing the words "sterling" or "sterling silver," referring, or designed or intended to refer, to the silver, alloy or imitation thereof in such article or articles, when such silver, alloy or imitation thereof shall contain less than nine hundred and twenty-five one-thousandths thereof of pure silver, shall be guilty of a petty offense and shall be fined in any sum not less than $50 nor more than $100.
    (c) Whoever makes for sale, sells or offers to sell or dispose of or has in his or her possession, with intent to sell or dispose of, any article or articles constructed in whole or in part of silver or any alloy or imitation thereof, having thereon--or on any box, package, cover, wrapper or other thing enclosing or encasing such article or articles for sale--any stamp, brand, engraving, printed label, trademark, imprint, or other mark, containing the words "coin" or "coin silver," referring to or designed or intended to refer to, the silver, alloy or imitation thereof, in such article or articles, when such silver, alloy or imitation shall contain less than nine-tenths thereof pure silver, shall be guilty of a petty offense and shall be fined in any sum not less than $50 and not more than $100.
(Source: P.A. 96-1551, eff. 7-1-11.)

720 ILCS 5/17-4

    (720 ILCS 5/17-4) (from Ch. 38, par. 17-4)
    Sec. 17-4. (Repealed).
(Source: P.A. 77-2638. Repealed by P.A. 96-1551, eff. 7-1-11.)

720 ILCS 5/17-5

    (720 ILCS 5/17-5) (from Ch. 38, par. 17-5)
    Sec. 17-5. Deceptive collection practices. A collection agency as defined in the Collection Agency Act or any employee of such collection agency commits a deceptive collection practice when, with the intent to collect a debt owed to an individual or a corporation or other entity, he, she, or it does any of the following:
        (a) Represents falsely that he or she is an attorney,
    
a policeman, a sheriff or deputy sheriff, a bailiff, a county clerk or employee of a county clerk's office, or any other person who by statute is authorized to enforce the law or any order of a court.
        (b) While attempting to collect an alleged debt,
    
misrepresents to the alleged debtor or to his or her immediate family the corporate, partnership or proprietary name or other trade or business name under which the debt collector is engaging in debt collections and which he, she, or it is legally authorized to use.
        (c) While attempting to collect an alleged debt, adds
    
to the debt any service charge, interest or penalty which he, she, or it is not entitled by law to add.
        (d) Threatens to ruin, destroy, or otherwise
    
adversely affect an alleged debtor's credit rating unless, at the same time, a disclosure is made in accordance with federal law that the alleged debtor has a right to inspect his or her credit rating.
        (e) Accepts from an alleged debtor a payment which
    
he, she, or it knows is not owed.
    Sentence. The commission of a deceptive collection practice is a Business Offense punishable by a fine not to exceed $3,000.
(Source: P.A. 96-1551, eff. 7-1-11.)