Amid new consumer alerts about scams, state lawmakers this week passed legislation to combat scams at cryptocurrency ATMs.
The House passed a bill to help protect victims from cryptocurrency fraud from these “digital access transaction kiosks.”
The bill allows victims who are scammed at crypto ATMs in New Hampshire to be reimbursed if they report the fraud within 14 days.
Operators of the crypto kiosks would also be required to hold a person’s first deposit for 48 hours to give them time to cancel it if they detect a scam. And it limits the amount of money the transaction kiosk can accept from a person each day.
The legislation previously passed the Senate and now goes to Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s desk.
Crypto scams are becoming more common, and costly for consumers. In 2024, 547 Granite Staters filed complaints involving $22 million in cryptocurrency losses.
New scam text messages
The State House action comes as Attorney General John Formella’s office issued yet another warning about a wave of new scams. The latest one involves phony text messages claiming to be from the New Hampshire court system.
The scam texts include QR codes to try to dupe recipients to send money to fraudulent payment sites, according to Formella.
- If you believe you have been scammed, the Consumer Protection bureau at the state Attorney General’s office recommends you call them at 1-888-468-4454.
The AG’s Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau received reports from people who were sent text messages alleging they missed a court date or owe a fine. These may include what appears to be an official “notice of hearing” and instructions to submit a payment to avoid legal consequences.
“The New Hampshire Judicial Branch does not send QR codes in text messages, does not solicit payments via text, and does not request payment through links or codes sent by text messages,” Formella said in a press release.
“Consumers should also be aware that some of these scam messages contain inaccurate or outdated references to the court system, such as ‘District Court, Traffic Division,’” he said. “New Hampshire does not have a ‘traffic division,’ and motor vehicle matters are handled through the Circuit Court system.”
The Attorney General’s office hosted scam avoidance and guidance training throughout the month of April.
At an event in Rochester, Christa Clapp, an elder abuse program specialist, said that it is important to verify all communications before doing anything else, such as letting a phone call go to voicemail to verify the phone number.
“Because you’re never going to get a phone call asking you to pay bail over the phone for your nephew who got arrested in Mexico,” she said.
Clapp also said that scammers have been using artificial intelligence to create realistic voice, photo, and video messages.
The Consumer Protection Bureau recommends people be wary of any messages that claim to be from a court or government agency and demand payment; threaten arrest, license suspension, or additional penalties for nonpayment; or contain generic greetings or lack specific case information.
If you get one of these scam texts, they said you should not scan any QR codes or click any links, or share any personal or financial information, and you should delete the message.
“Scammers often prey on fear”
The state has issued similar consumer alerts in recent months.
Earlier this year, state officials warned EBT cardholders about a phone scam targeting recipients of cash assistance benefits. The scammers called to ask for card numbers and their PIN. There were also reports of significant losses connected to fraudulent ATM withdrawals in Manchester.
“Scammers often prey on fear and urgency,” said Lori Weaver, commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. “We urge all EBT cardholders to safeguard their information and remember that DHHS will never ask for a PIN or full card number by phone, text, or email.”
