It’s time for Page Two: News that might not make the front page for Monday March 30, 2026.
Bitcoin fraud is on the rise in Alaska. This fraud particularly affects seniors. And Senator Cathy Tilton is doing something about it.
Tilton explained in an interview on Big Cabbage Radio that her personal legislation this year focuses on increasing public awareness of scams and combating them. These crimes affect Alaskans of all ages.
Tilton notes that older residents are vulnerable. Many seniors have access to savings. This makes them frequent targets. Fraudsters use urgency and deception to exploit them.
It’s personal for her. Tilton shared how sophisticated these scams have become. Her mother received a phone call that sounded exactly like Tilton’s voice. The caller claimed that Tilton had been in a car accident and urgently needed money.
The voice was not real. It was generated using artificial intelligence. The scam escalated when a lawyer instructed her mother to withdraw cash. The lawyer’s voice was AI generated, too. Tilton’s mother was told to deposit the funds into a cryptocurrency kiosk and to direct the funds to specific digital wallets. She did so. Once the money was sent, it was gone.
Bitcoin kiosks are found in locations like grocery stores and gas stations. Sometimes near ATMs. They are unregulated in Alaska. This lack of oversight makes these kiosks an attractive tool for scammers. Tilton’slegislation aims to put guardrails on the crypto kiosks to reduce fraud. This includes posted warnings, transaction limits, and consumer protections.
The problem is significant. Alaskans reported more than $26 million in losses from online fraud in 2024 according to data from the FBI. Nearly half of that was tied to cryptocurrency transactions, including Bitcoin kiosks. Seniors accounted for about one-third of the total losses.
Alaska is not alone in facing this issue. Across the country, states are beginning to adopt similar measures to regulate cryptocurrency kiosks. These include requiring operators to post fraud warnings, setting daily transaction limits, often around $2,000 for new users, and in some cases, offering refunds to victims of fraud.
Authorities urge anyone who suspects a scam or has been a victim to report it immediately. Resources include the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, the Federal Trade Commission reporting website, and the National Elder Fraud Hotline. The hotline provides specialized assistance for seniors. Here are some links:
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
National Elder Fraud Hotline. 833–372–8311
Senator Tilton emphasizes that awareness is one of the most important tools in preventing these crimes. Scammers rely on panic and urgency. They pressure victims to act quickly without verifying the situation. If this happens to you, take a moment to pause, confirm the identity of the caller, and consult with trusted family members or officials. This can make all the difference.
As technology continues to evolve, so do the tactics used by criminals. Tilton’s proposed legislation is part of a broader effort to stay ahead of these threats and protect Alaskans—especially the most vulnerable—from losing their hard-earned money to increasingly sophisticated scams.
The full interview with Senator Tilton is on under podcasts, then Valley Edition.
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This Page Two article was reported by Mike Chmielewski and produced by Lee Henrikson. If you have an idea for a Page 2 topic, please email us at page2@radiofreepalmer.org.
That’s it for today and the news on Page Two on Monday March 30, 2026.