Jackson bans cryptocurrency kiosks amid national rise in scams

JACKSON, Mich. (News 10) - A potential tool for scammers and criminals will soon be taken off Jackson streets after a new city ordinance takes effect.

The city has banned the operation of all cryptocurrency kiosks.

Virtual currency kiosks look like ATMs but work differently — instead of standard currency transactions, they let users convert cash into cryptocurrency, or cryptocurrency back into cash.

FBI data shows rising losses

According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), virtual currency kiosk-related complaints resulted in more than $388 million in losses nationally in 2025, a 58% spike in losses compared to 2024.

The FBI also reported more than 13,400 complaints involving these kiosks last year, a 23% increase in complaint volume over the previous year.

More than half of those losses came from victims over the age of 50, according to the FBI data cited in Jackson’s ordinance.

In Michigan alone, residents lost more than $210 million to crypto-related fraud in 2025, and the state was among those reporting eight-figure losses specifically tied to virtual currency kiosk transactions, the FBI reported.

Those statistics inspired Jackson City Council to take action.

That, and a push from AARP Michigan, which says older adults are being targeted by cryptocurrency scams at an alarming rate.