Government agency imposter scams have been a frequent tool of scammers in recent years, and the child tax credit payments have given them another angle with which to work. These payments are an advance on the child tax credit, which means eligible people will get up to half of their child tax credit in these monthly payments and the other half when they file their 2021 taxes.

The payments will come to eligible parents through the end of the year. But con artists are likely waiting to pretend to "help" you get your payments earlier, get more money, or commit identity theft. Better Business Bureau Investigator Don O’Brien says you shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions.

The parents of more than 2.5 million children in Illinois are due to get up to $300 a month from now until the end of the year. Income thresholds are $75,000 for an individual and $150,000 for a couple. If you have been the victim of this or any other scam, you can make others aware by filing a report on the agency’s Scam Tracker website: BBB.org/ScamTracker