Mohamed “Moe” Mohamed didn’t think the cryptocurrency ATM installed in his Heber City convenience store, Mountainland One Stop, about a year ago would cause so much trouble. He knew Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies were gaining traction, so he thought nothing of signing a three-year contract to keep the machine in his store.

But Mohamed began to notice an influx of people, many elderly, visiting the store to use it as soon as it was installed. Many came with cash in hand, sometimes tens of thousands of dollars, to deposit. 

Mohamed asked these customers what they were doing, and he quickly realized they were being scammed. Unable to get out of his contract, Mohamed implemented a store policy: keep customers away from the machine at all costs.

The Heber City Council gave Mohamed a way out of his contract when it passed an ordinance prohibiting cryptocurrency ATMs on April 7. The operator of the cryptocurrency ATM has 60 days from the passing of the ordinance to uninstall the machine, which is the only one in Heber City.

Police Chief Parker Sever suggested the ban after hearing a presentation about cryptocurrency fraud from the Utah Attorney General’s Office a few months ago and having subsequent conversations with Mohamed.

“There was no intent on the part of One Stop to commit any fraud or to hurt anybody. In fact, they’re actively trying to do the opposite,” Sever said. “When they put that machine in there, they thought it was for a legitimate purpose, as I probably would have at the time, too.”

Cryptocurrency ATMs charge transaction fees ranging from 20% to 40%, while other online methods charge much lower fees, according to a city staff report. Additionally, these machines have minimal oversight and regulatory control, making them popular for fraud and other criminal activity.

Utah Criminal Deputy Attorney General Stewart Young said scammers from other countries often use cryptocurrency ATMs to transfer money across borders. That also makes them popular tools for money launderers.

Fraud involving these machines often involves the scammer convincing the victim to deposit money into the scammer’s account, Young explained. 

Persuasion can take a variety of forms.

For example, “pig-slaughtering” scams involve the scammer targeting a victim online and fattening them up through romance and affection before bleeding them dry.

“The scammer will invariably pretend to be an oil worker working on an oil rig in the Pacific Ocean or something like that,” Young said. “They’ll develop a romance online, and eventually, at some point, they’ll come up with some reason that they need money. It might be, ‘I really want to spend the rest of my life with you, but I can’t get off this oil rig. I want to start my own oil drilling business … and then we can be together forever.’”

Other scammers impersonate law enforcement officials and threaten legal consequences for missing jury duty or not paying a traffic ticket, all while insisting that the situation can be resolved by depositing money at a cryptocurrency ATM.

Another common scheme creates the illusion of investment. After the victim deposits money using a virtual currency kiosk, the scammer will deposit some of their own money into the account to make it look as if the victim’s investment is earning interest, Young explained. The scammer will convince the victim to deposit larger and larger amounts before withdrawing the money and shutting down the account.

Young estimated more than 90% of cryptocurrency ATM transactions are related to fraud or other criminal activity. 

That’s one reason the Utah House of Representatives passed House Bill 72 during the recent 2026 legislative session. The bill, sponsored by Republican Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox, who represents Weber County, creates statewide restrictions on cryptocurrency ATMs.

The bill requires operators of cryptocurrency ATMs to display a fraud prevention warning in English and Spanish and provide a toll-free, 24/7 customer service line. The machines also must print receipts, including transaction information and the relevant state law enforcement or government agency for reporting fraud.

The bill also makes it illegal for a cryptocurrency ATM to accept transactions over a certain amount. The machine cannot accept more than $2,000 per day during the three days following the customer’s first virtual currency kiosk transaction. After that period, the machine cannot accept more than $5,000 from a single customer per day.

These provisions go into effect on Wednesday.

Starting July 1, local law enforcement agencies are required to have at least one officer undergo specialized cryptocurrency investigation training at least once every three years.

Some cities have banned cryptocurrency ATMs altogether. Layton was the first city in Utah to do so, which it did in March. Heber City was the second and modeled its ordinance on Layton’s.

Two states, Indiana and Tennessee, have passed legislation banning cryptocurrency ATMs. Both states’ respective governors signed bills during this year’s legislative session. 

Undersheriff Josh Probst said there are no other cryptocurrency ATMs the Sheriff’s Office is aware of in Wasatch County.

In Summit County, Park City Police Department Lt. Danielle Snelson and Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Skyler Talbot said they were only aware of one cryptocurrency ATM, located at Top Stop Chevron on the side of S.R. 224. They were unaware of plans to propose any bans. Snelson said no issues with the machine had been reported to the Police Department. 

Mohamed feels “terrible” that the cryptocurrency ATM was ever installed in Mountainland One Stop and is grateful for Heber City’s ban.

“It’s been the worst thing I’ve ever put in a business, and I’ve owned my own business for 22 years,” he said. “I would advise every city, every county and state to ban these.”

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The Western Governors’ Association is scheduled to hold its annual meeting in Deer Valley this summer, a gathering that will bring a political crowd to Park City in the days before the nation celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The event is slated from June 30 to July 2 at the Stein Eriksen Lodge. Gov. Spencer Cox is the chair of the association, which involves states from the Great Plains westward. The Denver-based association said up to eight governors usually attend the annual meeting. The total attendance typically reaches between 300 and 400, including the gubernatorial delegations, federal officials, lobbyists and the entourages of presenters. The general public may purchase tickets.

An agenda and speaker lineup had not been finalized by the middle of the week. The association said Cabinet members are usually selected to deliver keynote addresses.

The event offers an opportunity for attendees to delve into a range of policies important to the West and the Midwest. Some of the topics expected to be addressed include agriculture, energy, healthcare and workforce issues.

“I’m excited to host WGA’s Annual Meeting in Park City this year. Beyond its natural beauty, Park City is a powerful example of how economic strength and environmental stewardship can go hand-in-hand. That balance will be reflected in many of the important policy discussions we’ll have at the meeting and is an ideal that I think we, as governors across the West, can help model for the rest of the country,” Cox said in a prepared statement to The Park Record.

A draft agenda posted by the association includes:

• Opening remarks by Cox and the executive director of the Western Governors’ Association midday on June 30.
• A July 1 session regarding policy and business, with Hawaii Gov. Josh Green being featured.

There is also a series of receptions, breakfasts and dinners on the agenda. Several panels covering unspecified topics were also listed.

The attendee list by the middle of the week included numerous corporate representatives and business groups. A representative from Park City Mountain owner Vail Resorts was listed. The Colorado-based firm has mountain resorts across the West.

Park City has hosted the association’s annual meeting three times, in 1995, 2009 and 2013.

The 2013 event, held during the Obama administration, included remarks by Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, an address by the late energy executive T. Boone Pickens and comments by Gary Herbert, who was the governor of Utah and the chair of the Western Governors’ Association at the time. Rob Bishop, then a U.S. congressman whose district included the Park City area, also appeared.

The organization, during the 2013 gathering, released a document that outlined a vision for energy production. Energy was an overriding subject that year, and the document called for the U.S. to move toward energy security, for the West to become a leader internationally in new energies and for infrastructure for energy distribution to be established.

The event this summer will likely add to the buzz in Park City that week. The gathering of governors is planned from Tuesday to Thursday. The event ends two days before Independence Day, usually a busy holiday in the community. This year’s Fourth of July celebrations in Park City could be especially jammed with 2026 being the 250-year mark for the nation.

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The Park City Library’s held a picnic from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the public Monday, August 21, 2017. The event offered free eclipse kits, snacks and prizes (while supplies lasted). (Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

Link to full gallery here: https://parkrecordphoto.smugmug.com/PHOTOS-Solar-Eclipse/https://parkrecordphoto.smugmug.com/PHOTOS-Solar-Eclipse/

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The Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter hosted a Wetland Pond Walk Thursday evening, August 17, 2017. Attendees of the event learned about the importance of wetland ecosystems as native wildlife habitat, as well as the Columbia Spotted Frog (which is a Utah-listed Sensitive Species). (Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

Link to full gallery here: https://parkrecordphoto.smugmug.com/PHOTOS-Wetland-Pond-Walk/https://parkrecordphoto.smugmug.com/PHOTOS-Wetland-Pond-Walk/

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Recycle Utah hosted their 100 Mile Meal fundraising event Saturday evening, August 12, 2017, at a private ranch near Oakley. The event featured games, live music and a five-course meal made with local foods that were sourced from within 100 miles of the recycling center in Park City. (Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

Link to full gallery here: https://parkrecordphoto.smugmug.com/PHOTOS-100-Mile-Meal/

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The Utah Olympic Park hosts the 19th Annual Springer Tourney Ski Jumping on their HS-10 and HS-42 jumps Thursday and Friday. On Saturday, July 29, the park will host the HS-134 U.S. Large Hill National Championships and Nordic Combined races. (Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

Link to full gallery here: https://parkrecordphoto.smugmug.com/PHOTOS-Springer-Tournee-HS-10HS-42/

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The annual Psicobloc competition is back in town, taking up residence at the Utah Olympic Park’s Olympic Freestyle Pool Thursday and Friday evenings this week. The competition brings in world-class climbers from all over the world to test their strength and agility in free-climbing over a body of water. (Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

Link to full gallery here: https://parkrecordphoto.smugmug.com/PHOTOS-Psicbloc-Competition/

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(Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

Link to full gallery here: https://parkrecordphoto.smugmug.com/PHOTOS-Park-Citys-Best-2017/

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The town of Kamas held their annual Fiesta Days festivities at the rodeo arena over the weekend. Attendees were treated to a rodeo, demolition derby and more. (Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

Link to full gallery here: https://parkrecordphoto.smugmug.com/PHOTOS-Kamas-Fiesta-Days-Rodeo-and-Demo-Derby/

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Real Salt Lake face off against Manchester United at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah Monday evening, July 17, 2017. The friendly game ended in a 2-1 loss for RSL. (Tanzi Propst/Park Record)

Link to full gallery here: https://parkrecordphoto.smugmug.com/PHOTOS-Real-Salt-Lake-vs-Manchester-United/

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