Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White is warning residents of scammers seeking personal information claiming to be the official government office.
The scams are typically over email or text message to Illinoisans, claiming to be the Secretary of State's office by using website logos and mastheads, according to a release.
“I have zero tolerance for fraudsters who prey on people in desperate times,” White said. “My office is working with the Illinois Attorney General’s office to protect Illinoisans from falling victim to these fraudulent schemes.”
White warned recipients to not click on any links or provide any information to the texts or emails. The Secretary of State's office will never request personal information, such as a Social Security number, over text or email, he said.
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“Delete the text or email,” White said. “Do not click on them and do not provide any of your personal information.”
Should you get a scam message, here's what to do, according to White:
- Delete the email or text without interacting with any links
- Hang up on any calls, including robocalls asking for a Social Security number
- Ask to use other types of identifiers aside from a Social Security number
- Keep software up to date, including on phones, to avoid viruses placed by scammers
The scams could appear like the following:
