01/22/2026

Fraudulent Email Targeting ILLINOIS Licensees

 The fraudulent message asks recipients to confirm receipt of documents and claims that additional details will be shared once confirmation is provided. This is a common phishing tactic designed to elicit a reply and potentially obtain personal identification information.

Key indicators this email is a scam:

• Suspicious email address: While the display name may appear official, the actual reply-to address is unusual and unrelated to the State. For example, the scam email begins with an Illinois.gov email address but uses reply to domain like illinois.gov.atlantcwoodcraft.com which is not an official Illinois government domain.
• Impersonation of Department staff: The sender claims to be “Sharon L. Keppler, Compliance Department” This individual is not affiliated with the Department.
• Unverified contact details: The phone numbers provided in the email do not belong to the Department.
• Unusual request: Asking you to confirm receipt before sharing further details is a red flag for phishing attempts.

Please note:

• The Department only sends emails from official Illinois.gov addresses.
• We will never ask you to confirm receipt of documents in this manner.

If you receive such an email, do not respond and do not click any links. Report suspicious messages to FPR.Comms@Illinois.gov 

Thank you for your vigilance in protecting your information!

Sincerely,

Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation