🚫 Spokane BANS crypto ATMs to fight rising scams!!

Washington’s second-biggest city just drew a hard line: crypto ATMs are no longer welcome. Spokane City Council voted unanimously to ban all cryptocurrency kiosks within city limits after a spike in scams targeting the city’s most vulnerable. According to councilmember Paul Dillon, the machines have become a key tool for fraudsters preying on unsuspecting victims - especially the elderly and low-income residents.

“You see these machines tucked into corner stores in poor neighborhoods, and the pattern is clear,” said Dillon. “They’ve become pipelines for scammers.” Police backed the move, saying crypto ATM scams are now so common they often send funds directly to places like China, Russia and North Korea. In many cases, criminals impersonate law enforcement or IRS agents, convincing people to “protect their money” by converting it to crypto at a kiosk - money that’s instantly gone.

According to the FBI, crypto ATM-related scams surged 31% in 2024 alone, with nearly 11,000 complaints and $246 million in losses. Two-thirds of those victims were over 60 years old. Operators now have 60 days to remove existing machines or face civil penalties and business license revocation. The city says it will monitor the ban’s impact and adjust if needed.

Spokane is the first city in Washington to take this step, and other jurisdictions may follow if fraud numbers continue to rise. As crypto adoption grows, expect more local governments to step in and draw clearer lines between innovation and exploitation. The era of no-rules crypto convenience is shifting fast. #BitcoinATM #ATM #CryptoATM #ScamAlert #Cryptoban