Crimes can consist of various actions, some of which do not always involve physical confrontations. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), in 2018, 15 percent of all fraud complaints were related to identity theft. Overall, 33 percent of U.S. adults have experienced identity theft at some point in their lifetime. It can be relatively easy to find people’s personal and sensitive information on social media and networking sites, which can make them targets for phishing and imposter scams. Identity theft basically means representing yourself as someone else for financial gain. This offense is considered a form of fraud, which can carry significant penalties in Illinois. If you are facing charges related to identity theft, a seasoned criminal defense attorney can help you defend against this type of white-collar crime.

What Constitutes Identity Theft?

A person commits the offense of identity theft when he or she knowingly uses any personal identification information or documents of another person to falsely obtain credit, monetary funds, goods, and services, or property. An individual’s personal information can include name, address, date of birth, telephone number, Social Security number, credit or debit card account number, or passport. Types of documentation can include a person’s birth certificate, driver’s license, or state ID. In many cases, a person may use someone else’s credit card or debit card to make purchases, obtain a loan, or get cash out. Other acts include filing fraudulent tax refund forms or writing bad checks. Medical identity theft occurs when information is stolen, including health insurance member numbers, in order to receive certain medical services.

Identity theft typically includes three main types of actions:

There have been many changes to Illinois law since the start of the new year. The number of new laws - including laws that have been amended - exceeds 250 and many of them deal with serious criminal charges, traffic violations, and more.

Of course, the law has been talked about the most before and after the new year was the legalization of recreational marijuana. Not only did this law change possession of marijuana charges, but it also annulled several minor possession charges that were committed before 2020.

The New Marijuana Law

The state of Illinois is the 11th state to make recreational marijuana legal. After the first of the year, the state opened several licensed dispensaries where people over the age of 21 can purchase marijuana.

Roadways are becoming more dangerous every year. Especially now entering the winter season, it is important for all drivers to travel safely and obey the rules of the road. Any action on the road that is noncompliant with the law can be considered reckless driving which leads to consequences.

Illinois law says that reckless driving is any act while driving a motor vehicle that blatantly puts others in danger of injury or death. These actions are enforced through traffic citations when police officers observe reckless behavior on the streets.

Examples of Reckless Driving

The law is broad when it comes to determining reckless driving. The simple act of speeding can result in reckless driving charges because if someone is driving too quickly, they can easily collide with another vehicle or a pedestrian.

The state of Illinois has a highly specific law regarding gun ownership and concealed carry rules. Guns are legal to carry as long as the owner has the proper paperwork which gives them the right to carry.

Those who illegally carry a firearm will face misdemeanor charges for first offenses and possible felony charges for subsequent offenses. Illegal gun carriers will also face felony charges if they discharge their weapon resulting in injury or death of a victim.

Requirements for Owning and Carrying a Firearm

There are two types of permits that a person needs in order to legally possess a gun in Illinois. Homeowners who wish to possess a firearm for security purposes only need to apply for a Firearm Owners Identification Card (FOID). If a person meets the requirements for the FOID, they can then possess a gun within their home, but cannot carry it out of their home unless it is unloaded and stored inside a proper container.

Credit card fraud can take many different forms, and can even occur by accident. Penalties for being convicted of credit card fraud are serious, and can result in a misdemeanor or felony charge. Four common types of credit card fraud allegations include:

1) Failure to Obtain Consent of Cardholder

A cardholder must authorize use of the card by another person. This authorization can be either written or verbal. A cardholder can also designate an authorized user for their card, by including their name on the credit card account. Once the cardholder has formally authorized someone to use their credit card, the owner is responsible for any charges the authorized user incurs.