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San Antonio leaders move to curb Bitcoin ATM scams with signage, outreach and proposed ordinance
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Summary
County sheriff and SAPD told City Council that scammers are using cryptocurrency kiosks to extort residents, often seniors, and asked the city to adopt mandatory signage, bilingual outreach and a coordinated enforcement strategy; staff plans Public Safety review and a May ordinance.
San Antonio officials on April 2 outlined a package of measures aimed at preventing cryptocurrency kiosk scams that have cost local residents thousands of dollars. Sheriff Javier Salazar, who raised the issue with council, described the scams as “a big business” that has been “milking San Antonio and or Bexar County residents out of millions of dollars every single year.”
City staff and San Antonio Police Department leaders recommended expanding a proposed Bitcoin ordinance to include standardized signage at kiosks, a bilingual public-awareness campaign and a coordinated investigative task force with federal partners. Assistant Chief Jesse Salome, SAPD, said the department’s keyword search found “625 reports tied to cryptocurrency,” with 534 criminal cases spread across more than 50 offense categories, and that older adults have been disproportionately affected.
Why it matters: The scams typically start with a phone call impersonating a government official and end with victims instructed to purchase cryptocurrency from a nearby kiosk. Once converted, funds move quickly and are difficult to recover, officials said. Council members stressed the urgency of protecting seniors and low-information consumers while acknowledging that kiosks are not centrally regulated.
What officials proposed: Staff recommended (1) mandatory, bilingual signage at kiosks warning customers about scams and advising how to verify transactions; (2) a multimedia outreach effort targeting senior centers, malls and neighborhoods; (3) an enforcement and compliance plan so officers can issue citations if needed; and (4) coordination with state and federal lawmakers on registration and consumer protections. Sheriff Salazar said the city would also pursue state-level changes after Omaha and Nebraska lawmakers enacted related rules.
Council reaction and next steps: Council members broadly supported the preventative approach. Several members urged adding zoning or land-use restrictions to limit kiosk placement and recommended working with AARP and the Secret Service on mapping and outreach. Staff said it would present a Public Safety Committee update on April 21 and return an ordinance for consideration in May.
The council did not vote on new rules on April 2. Instead staff will refine the draft ordinance and enforcement details after committee review and further inter-agency coordination.
