Pennsylvania Grapples with Crypto Scam Epidemic Targeting Seniors
A recent surge in cryptocurrency scams targeting seniors has left Pennsylvania lawmakers scrambling for solutions. One victim, a 74-year-old retired teacher from Douglassville, lost $16,000 after being convinced by a scammer to feed cash into a Bitcoin ATM.
The FBI reports that in 2025 there were 518 complaints involving cryptocurrency kiosks in Pennsylvania, resulting in $14.5 million in adjusted losses. Nationally, the agency received over 13,400 kiosk-related complaints, with more than half of those involving people over 50.
Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering House Bill 2643, which would establish a licensing and consumer-protection framework for virtual currency kiosks. The proposal includes transaction limits, stronger warnings, live customer service, and fraud protections.