Over $3 Million Lost To Scams Involving Crypto ATMs In Campbell County

CHEYENNE - More than $3 million has been lost by Gillette and Campbell County residents to crypto ATM scams in the last year. That is according to Gillette Police Detective Alan Stuber, who made that comment during AARP Wyoming’s Legislative Preview Webinar for Wyoming Legislators held Tuesday.

“In Gillette alone, between the city police department and the county sheriff’s department, we’ve taken in 75-to-100 cases in the last year,” Stuber told the audience. “Between our two departments alone, when I was going through the files, roughly - just in Gillette and Campbell County - probably over $3 million has been lost.”

Attorneys General in Iowa and Washington, DC have sued multiple crypto ATM companies, claiming that better than 90% of the transactions facilitated by their machines were scams.

Stuber’s comments underscore that reliable data on fraud and scams is difficult to come by. However, the Cheyenne Police Department data shows 50 cases in the Capitol City over 16 months ending in August 2025. Sheridan police took in another 15 cases, totaling $1.5 million in losses over a two-year period, as of this fall. In 2024, there were over 11,000 reports of scams involving these machines nationwide, resulting in losses of $246 million, according to the FBI.

“When citizens get scammed, we know they tend not to report the scam because they don’t think they can get their money back, or they are embarrassed,” said AARP Wyoming Associate State Director Tom Lacock. “The reality is these are professional thieves who are experts in separating people from their money. There is no need to be embarrassed, and talking about the scam might prevent our friends and families from experiencing the same loss.”

What are these machines?
It is estimated that roughly 45 crypto ATMs are located in Wyoming, with 11 in Cheyenne. These machines convert cash into cryptocurrency and then send that crypto to other crypto users worldwide. AARP’s concern is that these machines are used by scammers posing as trusted sources who tell their victims there is a warrant for their arrest, a fine that needs to be paid, or a bill that needs to be addressed immediately, and the best way to do that is by feeding cash into the crypto ATM and sending the crypto to the caller’s virtual wallets. When the money is transferred, the scammer hangs up, and the victim is out of the cash.

“You get a call, they (scammers) make threats, whether it is a city bill, or a warrant for your arrest,” Stuber said. “It used to be gift cards, but we’ve pretty well shut that down in Campbell County. Our stores aren’t letting people buy thousands of dollars’ worth of gift cards anymore. Now, it is these machines.”

Stuber was one of AARP Wyoming’s guest speakers during its Legislative Webinar, which offers lawmakers a chance to better understand AARP Wyoming's priorities for the upcoming session. AARP Wyoming is strongly supportive of a bill that would require crypto ATM companies to be licensed by and to adhere to rules set by the state banking division. Campbell County Republican Ken Clouston will be the bill’s prime sponsor.

It is AARP Wyoming’s hope that common sense rules around transaction limits, warnings on the machines themselves, and caps on transactions facilitated by these machines, which routinely rise to 20% or higher levels. AARP’s policy does not support outright prohibitions on the machines.

SNAP and Food Insecurity Concerns
In addition to discussions around crypto ATMs, AARP Wyoming also presented on a number of other priorities, including support for an extra $6.8 million for the administration of the SNAP program, commonly known as food stamps. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act shifted 25% of the cost of SNAP administration to the states, requiring an extra appropriation, which was recommended last week by the Wyoming Legislature’s Joint Appropriations Committee.

There are 29,000 families in Wyoming who are on SNAP at present, with 12,000 of those being children and another 13% older adults over the age of 60. The average benefit per family is $155 per month.

To get a sense of the impact of food insecurity in Wyoming, AARP Wyoming welcomed Danica Sveda of the Wyoming Food Bank to the webinar. She said food pantries around the state saw more first time clients than expected during the government shutdown, which temporarily paused SNAP benefits. She adds SNAP is the only thing keeping many of its recipients from needing the services of food pantries. Specifically, she points out there are two populations that seem to be feeling the pinch.

“It’s the older adults who are feeling the pressure right now,” Sveda said. “At our mobile pantries, 55% of the people we serve are either older adults or children.”

Sveda also relayed the fact that after the SNAP interruption this winter Wyoming Food Bank donated food saw significantly less produce. That signals to her that SNAP recipients are likely using more of their SNAP benefits on produce and less on sugary snacks that previously thought.

“This additional money will fund SNAP like it has been, but it also employs those who put together government commodities and food boxes for older adults throughout the state,” Sveda said.

The Wyoming Legislature goes into session on Feb. 9 in Cheyenne.