It would be really nice if scams and scammers decided to take a break after all the criminal activities they engaged in during the holiday season, but that’s just not how the world works.
Scammers were busier than ever in 2025, and the numbers prove it. According to the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois and its Rockford Regional Office (BBB), reports of the most common local scams nearly doubled year over year. The total jumped from 1,196 cases to a staggering 2,553 by the end of 2025, a spike the BBB calls unprecedented.
Once again, Online Purchase Scams topped the list for the sixth straight year. As online shopping continues to grow, scammers are keeping pace with fake websites, deceptive pop-up ads, and too-good-to-be-true deals that often involve pets, high-demand items, or limited-time offers. Following closely behind were Phishing scams and Employment scams, with all three categories more than doubling in reported cases compared to the previous year.
Why Are All Of These Scams Exploding In Illinois And Across The Nation?
Unfortunately, it’s because so many of them work so well for the scammers…