AARP Michigan urges Waterford to act on rising crypto‑ATM fraud targeting older residents

At public comment on March 23, Kathleen Simlar of AARP Michigan warned trustees that cryptocurrency kiosks (crypto‑ATMs) have been used increasingly in scams that target older residents. Simlar said searches show 19 kiosks located around Waterford and that law‑enforcement data and AARP reporting indicate Michigan victims lost substantial sums in recent years, with older adults disproportionately affected.

Simlar described how fraudsters instruct victims to deposit cash into a kiosk and then provide a code that transfers the funds into cryptocurrency, after which recovery is exceedingly difficult. She urged the board to consider local protections such as daily or monthly transaction limits; she said Sterling Heights and Grosse Pointe Farms have adopted ordinances with such limits and provided a model ordinance the township could consider.

Trustees received the materials; the board did not take immediate action but AARP requested the township consider the model ordinance and protections for older residents.

What’s next: AARP provided a model ordinance and trustees could direct staff to review it and return any recommended local protections for consideration at a future meeting.