Crypto Kiosks or Scam Machines? North Dakota’s New Bill Sparks Urgent Action

Is your next trip to a cryptocurrency kiosk a potential setup for fraud? AARP thinks so—and they’re sounding the alarm.

In a bold move, AARP is calling on North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong to sign House Bill 1447, a newly proposed law aimed at regulating cryptocurrency kiosks, which have become hotbeds for scams. These machines, which often resemble regular ATMs, are becoming a dangerous trap—especially for older residents.

And the numbers back it up. According to the FBI, Americans lost a staggering $5.6 billion to crypto-related scams in 2023—with North Dakota alone accounting for nearly $6 million of that loss.

So what makes these kiosks so risky?

The ATM Lookalike That’s Draining Wallets

To the untrained eye, these crypto kiosks look harmless, almost identical to the ATMs we’ve trusted for years. But according to Janelle Moos, advocacy director at AARP North Dakota, this familiarity is part of the problem.

“These machines look like ATMs, and so people are inserting their money, thinking it’s secure,” she explained. “It gets transferred to a scammer’s digital wallet and the money’s gone. There’s no way to track it.”

The scam playbook often begins with fraudsters posing as law enforcement or tech support, instructing victims—frequently older individuals—to transfer funds via crypto kiosks. Once the transaction is made, the money disappears into the blockchain void, virtually untraceable and unrecoverable.

What House Bill 1447 Proposes

The proposed legislation aims to stop this bleeding. House Bill 1447 introduces several consumer protections, including:

• Licensing requirements for kiosk operators
  
• Mandatory fraud warnings displayed on machines
  
• Printed receipts with transaction details for all users
  

This isn’t just bureaucratic red tape. These steps could make the difference between a safe transaction and a life savings loss.

AARP’s Urgent Plea

For AARP, the stakes couldn’t be higher. Their advocacy is focused on protecting older North Dakotans, who are often less familiar with digital currency and more trusting of seemingly official instructions.

The group believes this bill is a necessary first step in building broader protections against the surge of crypto-driven fraud that is sweeping the nation.

If signed into law, North Dakota could set a precedent, leading the way for other states to tackle the growing vulnerability posed by these machines.

Why This Matters Now

In a time when crypto innovation is outpacing regulation, bad actors are capitalizing on the gap. And as adoption spreads, so do the risks—especially for people who aren’t deeply familiar with how the crypto ecosystem works.

AARP’s push serves as a powerful reminder that the same tech promising decentralization and financial freedom can also serve as a tool for exploitation, unless clear, enforceable guardrails are put in place.

Governor Armstrong’s decision now carries serious weight. Will North Dakota take a stand—and potentially become a model for responsible crypto oversight?

One thing is clear: with millions already lost and more at stake, waiting any longer could mean more victims—and more heartbreak.