AARP Urges Will County to Ban Cryptocurrency Kiosks Amid Exploding Senior Fraud Rates

Will County Board Legislative Committee Meeting | April 7, 2026

Article Summary: Representatives from AARP Illinois presented alarming new FBI data to the Will County Board Legislative Committee, revealing $11 billion in cryptocurrency fraud losses in 2025, and urged the county to consider banning or heavily restricting unregulated crypto kiosks that disproportionately target senior citizens.

Cryptocurrency Kiosk Legislation Key Points:

• The FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) report shows $11 billion in cryptocurrency losses, with older Americans (60+) accounting for $7.7 billion of the total.

• Fraud directly tied to physical cryptocurrency kiosks—often located in gas stations and convenience stores—accounted for $333.5 million in losses in 2025.

• While state legislation (SB 2319) was passed to require licensing and cap transaction fees at 18%, AARP advocates argue it is insufficient and are pushing local municipalities and counties to ban the machines entirely.

• Committee members expressed strong support for drafting a county ordinance to ban the kiosks, requesting model legislation from AARP for the next meeting.

Faced with skyrocketing financial fraud targeting older adults, the Will County Board Legislative Committee on Tuesday, April 7, 2026, heard a stark warning from AARP Illinois regarding the proliferation of cryptocurrency kiosks, prompting immediate calls from board members to ban the machines locally.

Al Hollandbeck, Volunteer State President for Illinois AARP, and Courtney Hedderman, Senior Associate State Director, addressed the committee to highlight what they described as an “emerging critical problem.” AARP, which represents over 80,000 members in Will County alone, cited newly released FBI data illustrating the massive scale of the crisis.

According to the FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) report, released the night before the meeting, total cryptocurrency fraud losses hit $11 billion in 2025. Older Americans aged 60 and above were disproportionately impacted, accounting for $7.7 billion of those losses.

Hedderman noted that $333.5 million of the total losses were directly tied to physical cryptocurrency kiosks, which function similarly to traditional ATMs but deal in digital currency like Bitcoin.

“It is the most dangerous in-person transaction that takes place compared to other types of fraud,” Hedderman told the committee. “You’re going to a physical location and actually someone is giving their money. To have a third of a billion lost is extraordinary.”

Hollandbeck shared a recent local example of a 71-year-old woman, Linda Simmons, who was coerced by scammers posing as sheriff’s deputies. Believing she was paying a bail bond to avoid a grand jury summons, Simmons fed $16,000 into a cryptocurrency ATM at a gas station while her six-year-old granddaughter sat in her car.

“FBI analysis shows 90% of crypto transactions [at kiosks] were tied back to fraud,” Hollandbeck stated. “Who benefits? The property owner of the 7-Eleven with the crypto kiosk gets a fee. The operator of the crypto kiosk gets a fee. The crypto company gets a fee. It’s very clear who suffers: mostly seniors.”

Last year, the Illinois General Assembly passed Senate Bill 2319, which established the state’s first regulatory framework for the industry. The law requires operators to be licensed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), provide receipts, and establish customer service lines. However, AARP noted that the bill was heavily compromised by industry lobbying. For instance, transaction fees were capped at 18%—a rate AARP considers exorbitant—and the regulations do not fully take effect until July 2027 due to ongoing rulemaking processes.

Because the state law is not a total ban, AARP is encouraging local governments to take matters into their own hands. Hedderman noted that the State of Indiana recently passed a complete statewide ban on crypto kiosks, and several municipalities across the country have enacted local bans.

Committee members were highly receptive to the presentation. Board Member Dawn Bullock immediately voiced her support for eliminating the machines in unincorporated Will County.

“I am all for a ban personally, because if I can do it on my computer and I know what crypto is, then I’ll do it on my computer,” Bullock said. “There is no one who is seriously into crypto who is going to go to a machine and shovel in thousands of dollars. They are there for the defrauding purpose, especially when they’re not regulated at all.”

Board Member Judy Ogalla requested that AARP provide staff with sample ordinance language used by other municipalities. The committee plans to forward the information to the Will County Ordinance Committee to begin drafting local legislation to restrict or ban the kiosks.