Illinois Criminal Code of 1961

Illinois Criminal Code of 1961 - Article 17

Sec. 17-4. Deceptive altering or sale of coins.
    (720 ILCS 5/17-4)

(a) A person commits a deceptive altering of coins when he in any manner alters any coin to increase the value of the coin to coin collectors.

(b) A person commits a deceptive sale of coins when he sells or advertises for sale any coin he knows has been deceptively altered for a higher rate or value than is indicated by the denomination of the coin.

(c) Sentence.

Deceptive altering or sale of coins is a Class A misdemeanor. (Source: P.A. 77-2638.)

Sec. 17-5. Deceptive collection practices.
    (720 ILCS 5/17-5)

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 a person, corporation, or other entity, he:

(a) represents falsely that he 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; or

(b) while attempting to collect an alleged debt, misrepresents to the alleged debtor or to his 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 is legally authorized to use; or

(c) while attempting to collect an alleged debt, adds to the debt any service charge, interest or penalty which he is not entitled by law to add; or

(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 credit rating; or

(e) accepts from an alleged debtor a payment which he knows is not owed.

The commission of a deceptive collection practice is a Business Offense punishable by a fine not to exceed $3,000. (Source: P. A. 78-1248.)

Sec. 17-5.5. Unlawful attempt to collect compensated debt against a crime victim.
    (720 ILCS 5/17-5.5)

(a) As used in this Section, "crime victim" means a victim of a violent crime or applicant as defined in the Crime Victims Compensation Act.

"Compensated debt" means a debt incurred by or on behalf of a crime victim and approved for payment by the Court of Claims under the Crime Victims Compensation Act.

(b) A person or a vendor commits the offense of unlawful attempt to collect a compensated debt against a crime victim when, with intent to collect funds for a debt incurred by or on behalf of a crime victim, which debt has been approved for payment by the Court of Claims under the Crime Victims Compensation Act, but the funds are involuntarily withheld from the person or vendor by the Comptroller by virtue of an outstanding obligation owed by the person or vendor to the State under the Uncollected State Claims Act, the person or vendor:

(1) communicates with, harasses, or intimidates the crime victim for payment;

(2) contacts or distributes information to affect the compensated crime victim's credit rating as a result of the compensated debt; or

(3) takes any other action adverse to the crime victim or his or her family on account of the compensated debt.

(c) Unlawful attempt to collect a compensated debt against a crime victim is a Class A misdemeanor.

(d) Nothing in this Act prevents the attempt to collect an uncompensated debt or an uncompensated portion of a compensated debt incurred by or on behalf of a crime victim and not covered under the Crime Victims Compensation Act. (Source: P.A. 92-286, eff. 1-1-02.)