In 2025, residents of Gillette and Campbell County in Wyoming lost more than $3 million to scams involving cryptocurrency ATMs, according to local police. Gillette Police Detective Alan Stuber reported 75 to 100 cases handled by his department and the Campbell County Sheriff's Office over the past year. The revelations came during an AARP Wyoming webinar ahead of the state's legislative session.
During AARP Wyoming’s Legislative Preview webinar for Wyoming legislators last week, Gillette Police Detective Alan Stuber highlighted the growing threat of crypto ATM scams in the region. He estimated that, between the Gillette Police Department and Campbell County Sheriff’s Office, authorities have investigated 75 to 100 cases in the last year, resulting in losses exceeding $3 million in Gillette and Campbell County alone.
Stuber explained how scammers operate: “You get a call, they (scammers) make threats, whether it is a city bill, or a warrant for your arrest. 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.” Victims are often tricked into believing they must pay urgent fines or avoid arrest by converting cash to cryptocurrency at these ATMs, which then send the funds to scammers' wallets worldwide.
Wyoming has about 45 such machines, which convert cash into crypto for global transfers. Nationally, the FBI reported over 11,000 scam incidents involving these devices in 2024, with losses totaling $246 million. In Cheyenne, police documented 50 cases over 16 months ending in August 2025, while Sheridan saw 15 cases amounting to $1.5 million in losses over two years as of this fall.
AARP Wyoming Associate State Director Tom Lacock emphasized reporting: “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. 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.”
In response, a bill is planned for the upcoming legislative session starting February 9 in Cheyenne. Sponsored by Rep. Ken Clouston, R-Gillette, it would require crypto ATM companies to obtain state banking division licenses and follow rules like transaction limits and on-machine warnings. AARP supports regulations but opposes outright bans, noting fees on these machines often exceed 20%.
Attorneys general in Iowa and Washington, D.C., have sued crypto ATM operators, alleging over 90% of transactions were fraudulent, underscoring the national scope of the issue.
