By SEN. CATHY TILTON
April 1, 2026 – Imagine receiving a call from a law enforcement agency, state or federal court, or some other “official” government entity saying you have an outstanding fine, fee or warrant. Pay it immediately or you’re going to jail. The phone number matches that of the identified agency, thanks to AI—and you’re directed to a nearby “Bitcoin ATM” to send cash.
This isn’t hypothetical. This happens to dozens of Alaskans every day. In 2024, Alaskans lost over $26 million to online fraud, with seniors bearing a third of those losses. These cryptocurrency kiosks have become a preferred tool for criminals because they offer instant, irreversible, and often anonymous transactions.
Unlike traditional banks, these kiosks currently operate in a regulatory “black hole.” Scammers exploit this by using high-pressure tactics to force victims into making untraceable transfers. To protect our most vulnerable residents, I introduced Senate Bill 249. This legislation creates a necessary shield for Alaskans by requiring:
• Clear Warnings: Operators must post conspicuous notices warning users about common scams.
• Identity Verification: Requiring a government-issued ID creates a vital “speed bump” to break the spell of a high-pressure scam.
• Blocking Fraud: Operators must use analytics to block transactions to known illicit or overseas criminal wallets.
• Fee and Transaction Limits: There are limits on fees for using the machines, but more importantly there are daily and monthly transaction limits to minimize the financial damage from these scams.
Our seniors spent decades building their life savings. They deserve the same financial “guardrails” in the digital age that we expect in every other sector. SB 249 doesn’t ban technology; it simply brings it out of the shadows. It is time to provide our seniors with the protection they’ve earned and stop digital predators from draining Alaskan bank accounts.
Senator Cathy Tilton represents Senate District M in the Alaska State Senate. Senate District M is comprised of House Districts 25 & 26 in the MatSu. Senator Tilton is a former Speaker of the Alaska State House.
6 thoughts on “Sen. Cathy Tilton: Alaska needs SB 249 to protect our seniors from crypto-kiosk scams”
Just this morning April 1, 2026 i got that same text message telling me I had an outstanding traffic ticket and if its not paid my license will be suspended
I just clicked report the spam button and it disappeared because I never was pulled over on Feb 15th which I had not yet got pulled over this year, nor the last five years. the notice said
The so called sender was Anchorage Police Department which I knew if the Anchorage district court or APD has anything so serious to tell me they will not contact me by text message. Scammers are stupid people.
I found it in my delete message
From phone number +63 951 610 1209
“ Driver’s License Suspension Pending
[Alaska Court] Enforcement: Pursuant to Alaska Statute (AS) 28.15.181(g), if you fail to pay the outstanding fine for ticket AKTP240845312001 (violation date: February 15, 2026) that has been long overdue by Thursday, April 2, 2026, additional court and collection costs of $70 will be immediately incurred. This may result in a Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) hold being placed on your driver’s license and vehicle registration. The case will be referred to a collection agency and reported to a credit bureau.
FAILURE TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER BY 11:59 PM TONIGHT WILL RESULT IN AUTOMATIC ENFORCEMENT MEASURES BEGINNING TOMORROW. We will not issue any further warnings.
Please visit the Alaska Court System or Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Online Services website before April 2, 2026 to settle your outstanding fine and avoid enforcement:
https://alaska.arwoy.life/dmv
(Reply A to reopen and click the link, or copy and paste.)”
DO NOT CLICK ON THR GIVEN LINK BECAUSE THE TEXT MESSAGE IS SPAM
Just want to show you a real spam message and how convincing it can look to someone but if you have critical thinking skills developed you can see plain as day it’s a fake and a government agency will never send something so serious in such an unserious manner as a text message
On your settings, you can block spamming numbers. it depends on your type of phone. I have a Motorola (android), but different the Samsung and other androids.. When the number comes up in “red” indicating a possible spam.. at that time you can block it or accept..
Where is the part that makes punishment for such scams punishable by long prison sentences, and seizure of any and all assets
My aunt ended up losing over $130,000 and her home to a scammer — just a voice on the phone who convinced her she was going to receive millions of dollars if she first sent money to “get it on shore.” She ultimately had to file for bankruptcy, sell her little home to repay what she could, and she now lives with me.
The man on the phone was incredibly convincing — almost hypnotic. At one point, even a bank officer spoke with him and said, “It could be true.” I took the phone and told him he was stealing her money. He replied, “No, she gave it to me, and there’s nothing you can do. B‑word.” That snapped both the bank officer and my aunt out of the trance-like state they seemed to be in. Unfortunately, he was right about one thing: the police told us there was nothing they could do.
I’ve helped her rebuild a little savings, but it will never be close to what she had, and she will never be able to live on her own again. It’s heartbreaking.