720 ILCS 5/17-35 – Use of Credit or Debit Card as Security for Debt

Posted by Christopher Combs on April 3, 2026

720 ILCS 5/17-35 – Use of Credit or Debit Card as Security for Debt

This law makes it illegal to use or give someone a credit or debit card to hold as a promise to pay back debt.

This Illinois law says that if someone uses or gives away a credit or debit card to secure a debt with the intent to trick or cheat another person, it is considered a felony crime.

Sec. 17-35. A person who tries to trick someone–like the card company or a person giving them something valuable–by getting control over a credit or debit card to use it as collateral for a debt is breaking the law.

This crime also happens if someone transfers, gives, or lets another person take control of a credit or debit card as security for a debt, knowing it’s dishonest.

Sentence: This crime is a Class 4 felony, which means it is a serious offense that can result in jail time or fines.

View the full statute here.