720 ILCS 5/17-24 – Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud

720 ILCS 5/17-24 – Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud

This law makes it a crime to trick people out of money or property using mail or electronic communication like phone, TV, or the internet.

This Illinois law says it’s illegal to use mail or electronic messages to cheat or steal from others. People who plan or try to carry out these tricks can be charged with a Class 3 felony.

(a) Mail fraud. A person commits mail fraud when they:

1. Plan or try to plan a scheme to lie, cheat, or trick someone to get money or property, or se or sell fake items made to look real, and
2. While planning, do any of the following:
   1. Place something in the mail or an approved mail drop in Illinois to be delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.
   2. Send or cause to be sent something by mail or delivery company in Illinois.
   3. Take or receive something from the mail or a delivery company that was sent to them.
   4. Knowingly cause something to be sent or delivered by mail or delivery company.

(b) Wire fraud. A person commits wire fraud when they:

1. Plan or try to plan a scheme to cheat or deceive someone for money or property, and then
2. Send or cause to be sent any message, sound, picture, or signal by wire, radio, TV, or electronic means:
   1. From inside Illinois; or
   2. So that it is received by someone in Illinois; or
   3. So that someone in Illinois can access it.

(c) Jurisdiction.

1. A mail fraud crime happens both in the Illinois county where the mail or package is sent and where it is received in Illinois.
2. A wire fraud crime happens both in the Illinois county where the message is sent and where it is received or accessed by someone in Illinois.

(d) Sentence: Breaking this law is a Class 3 felony. The time limit for prosecuting this crime starts when the most recent act of fraud is done.

View the full statute here.

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