Lincoln Police Chief Michon Morrow joined AARP Nebraska Tuesday morning to announce the beginning of an educational campaign regarding a new ordinance to help protect older adults from becoming victims of cryptocurrency fraud. A news conference was held Kure CBD & Vape near 56th and Holdrege.
According to LPD, Lincoln residents have lost more than $11 million to cryptocurrency scams so far in 2025. The new ordinance was approved by the City Council November 17 and signed by Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird a week later.
The ordinance requires all businesses operating or providing access to cryptocurrency ATMs to post written notices warning consumers of the potential fraud risks associated with using the machines. Business owners have until December 24 to display the warning stickers provided by LPD.
Cryptocurrency kiosks may look like traditional ATMs and are typically located in gas stations, convenience and grocery stores, malls and other public places. There are about 100 machines in Lincoln.
“The Lincoln Police Department understands how devastating it is to become a victim of financial fraud,” Morrow says. “We encourage everyone to have conversations with loved ones about scams so we can all work together to be part of the solution.”
She says their goal is to prevent more people from losing their hard-earned money. In mid-December, 20 AARP Nebraska volunteers will distribute information packets and warning stickers to all cryptocurrency ATM locations in Lincoln. All packets are scheduled to be delivered by this Friday .
Dylan Reinke is the store manager of Kure CBD and Vape near 56th and Holdrege, where Tuesday morning’s news conference was held. He placed the first warning sticker on his bitcoin ATM.
“AARP Nebraska remains dedicated to partnering with communities statewide to protect older Nebraskans from these scams,” says Todd Stubbendieck, State Director for AARP Nebraska. “Our volunteer Fraud Fighters are raising awareness about how scammers exploit cryptocurrency kiosks because once money is sent through a digital wallet, it is nearly impossible to trace or recover,”
In coordination with the new ordinance, LPD offers a new webpage with information about financial and cryptocurrency scams. Visit the page at lincoln.ne.gov/Scams. In January 2026, LPD will add a fifth investigator to the Technical Investigations Unit recently formed to focus specifically on cryptocurrency scams.
