Nebraska lawmakers are considering a bill(LB 609) to implement consumer protections and license requirements for the cryptocurrency industry, and they listened to public testimony on it Monday. A-A-R-P Nebraska is among the groups working to get the word out about an uptick in cryptocurrency scams. Gift card and “phishing” scams are nothing new to Nebraska seniors. But now, Jina Ragland with A-A-R-P Nebraska says they’re learning of more cases of criminals coercing people into depositing money into cryptocurrency A-T-M’s – also known as “crypto kiosks.”
“They can be found really anywhere that you frequent – places such as supermarkets, convenience stores, gas stations, bars and even restaurants. They look like a bank ATM, but they actually allow people to conduct cryptocurrency transactions, such as sending money through a digital wallet. ”
Ragland says cryptocurrency cons are relatively new and can be a lot more insidious.
“Once the money’s gone, it’s very hard to track it back – where the money is and actually recovering it. We’re just hearing more and more situations where thousands of dollars are being put into these machines and being sent off – and then, when they try to track back and recoup that, they’re not able to do it.”
Ragland says people are often embarrassed by falling victim to a scam, but she notes it can happen to anyone. She says reporting these crimes is key to stopping them, and suggests notifying the police and contacting the A-A-R-P Fraud Watch Network.
