‘Do not click’: State, suburban leaders warn of text scam surge
They look real, sound vaguely threatening and feel urgent. But if you’ve received a text message in recent days warning you could lose your driver’s license or face heavy financial penalties over an unpaid citation, a word of advice from Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias: “Do not click.”
Giannoulias joined a chorus of state and suburban leaders this week warning the public of a deluge of text scams that arrive on targets’ phones disguised as official court or DMV communications.
The texts often state the recipient owes money on an unpaid traffic, toll or parking violation, and failure to pay up could lead to further consequences, such as the loss of driving privileges, additional fines or collection action.
The recipients are directed to click on a link or scan a QR code, where they could be asked to make a payment, share personal information that could be used to steal their identity, or have damaging malware installed on their device.
“These fraudulent texts look more and more official every day,” Giannoulias said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon. “They sound urgent and they are designed to scare people into clicking a link or paying an alleged fine.
“Our office will never send a text message demanding payment or threatening to revoke your driver's license,” he added. “If you receive a text message like that, do not click. Do not respond. It is a scam.”
Anyone who receives such a text should take a snapshot of it and forward the image to scamalert@ilsos.gov before hitting delete.
“While every Illinoisan can be targeted, we know that vulnerable individuals, including seniors and residents with limited digital literacy, are more likely to fall for the scheme,” Giannoulias said. “That's why we're encouraging everyone to please, please talk to loved ones who may be at risk.”
The Cook County sheriff’s, chief judge’s and circuit court clerk’s offices, along with several suburban police departments, have issued similar warnings in recent days.
“The Circuit Court does not send hearing notices in this format, does not demand payment through unsolicited QR codes, and does not threaten arrest or credit reporting in this manner for unpaid parking matters,” the office of Chief Judge Charles Beach said in a written statement.
Ex-prosecutor sentenced
A former DuPage County prosecutor accused of threatening two state legislators as well as a downstate Pride event was sentenced this month to supervised release, a year of home confinement and psychiatric treatment.
Samuel J. Cundari, 31, pleaded guilty on Oct. 30 to a charge of transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure another person, according to federal court records.
According to the complaint and indictment, one of the legislators told state police on March 17, 2024, that someone threatened them over X. The post said, “Our patience grows short with you. The day we put your kids’ feet first into a woodchipper so we can enjoy their last few screams is coming.”
In addition to two state lawmakers, five other people or groups were tagged with the post, including the Illinois attorney general. Court records do not name the legislators.
The complaint, filed by an agent who works on a counterterrorism task force, said the lawmakers may have been targeted due to their support for a ban on semiautomatic rifles.
Prosecutors also alleged that on May 15, 2024, the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center received an online tip regarding a concerning post on X that seemed to be in response to an advertisement about the Springfield PrideFest, scheduled to take place three days later.
The DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office helped the FBI investigate. Cundari worked for DuPage for 16 months, prosecuting misdemeanor cases, but he’s no longer authorized to practice law in Illinois, according to the Illinois Attorney Registration and Discipline Commission.
Cundari, who lived in La Grange, had been free on bond since he was charged May 24, 2024. Federal prosecutors did not ask for detention.
‘Second’ chance denied
No do-overs.
That was the message from a state appeals court as it rejected a new-trial bid from a Bartlett man found guilty, but mentally ill, of murdering his 93-year-old mother in 2019.
Edward Mitzelfeld, 71, was convicted of first-degree murder in 2024 for the fatal stabbing of his mom, Frances Kelly, in the home they shared. The DuPage County judge who presided over the trial rejected an insanity defense, finding that while Mitzelfeld suffered a mental illness, he still understood right from wrong.
Now serving a 27-year prison sentence, Mitzelfeld’s appeal argued that the judge should have considered a finding of second-degree murder, instead of first-degree. The finding, which would have resulted in a four- to 20-year sentence, would require the judge to rule Mitzelfeld mistakenly believed he was acting in self-defense when he killed his mother.
But in its unanimous decision, the Third District Appellate Court said that because Mitzelfeld didn’t ask for a second-degree option at trial, he doesn’t get to ask now.
“Defendant solely argued that he was insane at the time he killed Kelly,” Justice Liam C. Brennan wrote. “He never raised the affirmative defense of self-defense, nor did he argue that he should only be convicted of second-degree murder based on imperfect self-defense. Defendant has forfeited this issue by raising it for the first time on appeal.”
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