ID theft

Well, of course it's Illinois. Would a guy in Rockford, Illinois waste your time with a headline like that, only to reveal that the state that leads the nation in reports of identity theft is Oklahoma? That would be bad form on my part.

So you've received a text or email from the Illinois Secretary of State's office, and it looks official. It's got the right logo, it's got the right masthead, so it's obviously legit, right?

Being unemployed sucks, as most anyone who's ever been there will tell you. What sucks even more is trying to subsist on your unemployment checks while wondering when a job will open up.

If you find yourself on the receiving end of an email or text that solicits your participation in a "post-vaccine survey," the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) would like a word with you.

For many people, the idea of having someone else doing your taxes is very appealing, assuming that you've hired them to handle that task. It stops having any appeal when you find out that someone did your taxes without your knowledge.

As we told you yesterday, Staples and Office Depot are offering free lamination services for those who have a COVID-19 vaccination card. Others, however, are willing to go even further by offering you a completely phony vaccination card...for a price.

The month of February signifies the unofficial start of Tax Season, but it's also the biggest time of the year for criminals like tax-identity thieves and IRS imposters.

Whether you live in the Rockford area, or anywhere else across the country, there's every chance another stimulus check/payment will be coming your way in the near future.

What started out as a nice gesture to those who won't get the opportunity to share in the tradition of sharing senior class photos has given scammers an opening.

Scammers are offering these "free kits” as a way to get their hands on sensitive information that can be used to steal a child’s identity.