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?

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.

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.

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.